title: Promising results after percutaneous mitral valve repair.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) is the secondmost frequent valve disease in Europe. Untreated MR causes considerable morbidity and mortality. In the elderly, as many as half of these patients are denied surgery because of an estimated high surgical risk. Percutaneous mitral valve repair with the MitraClip system resembles the Alfieristitch where a clip is used to connect the tip of the mitral valve leaflets.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients with MR of various origins (functional/degenerative) were treated with the MitraClip system. All patients were highly symptomatic with dyspnoea (New York Heart Association (NYHA) grade three) and MR grade three or more, and had been turned down for surgery due to an excessively high risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MR was reduced in all but one patient, generally from grade 3.5±0.5 to grade 1.4±0.9. A total of four patients (25%) received two clips. Thirty-day complications were as follows: one patient died, one had a stroke (speech sequelae), one patient had a new chord rupture that was treated surgically. During 90 days of follow-up, symptoms of dyspnoea diminished (reduction of 1 NYHA grade) and the 6-minute walk test results improved from 171±99 to 339±134 metres (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous mitral valve repair with the MitraClip system is now available in Denmark. The treatment is a reasonable alternative in patients with MR and a high estimated surgery risk.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Not relevant.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Not relevant.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Hjertemedicinsk Klinik B, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. ihlemann@gmail.com
authors: Nikolaj
authors: N
authors: Ihlemann
authors: Olaf
authors: O
authors: Franzen
authors: Erik
authors: E
authors: Jørgensen
authors: Peter Bo
authors: PB
authors: Hansen
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Hassager
authors: Jacob Eifer
authors: JE
authors: Møller
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Søndergaard
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler