Health

New Device Makes Some Heart Surgery Unnecessary

DENVER (CBS) ― Doctors at the University of Colorado and the Veterans Administration Hospital are studying a device which could fix leaking heart valves without open heart surgery.

The device called a mitra cup is used to repair mitral regurgitation, that's when the mitral valve leaks, reports Kathy Walsh with CBS station KCNC-TV in Denver.

"If it's not fixed it can lead to progressive weakening of the heart muscle," explained Dr. Ivan Casserly with the University of Colorado.

"It can lead to abnormal rhythms of the heart which in turn can cause stroke."

Marlon Pool, 74, elected to get the mitra cup in October after becoming concerned about his health.

"I'd get a little lightheaded once in a while if i I did quick turnaround," Pool said. "I might get a little fuzziness."

Doctors diagnosed his mitral defect and offered Pool the opportunity to be part of the study.

He agreed. "I would much rather have that procedure than have you crack my chest," he said.

Cardiologists inserted a catheter through a vein in his groin, pushed it in Pool's heart and used a V-shaped clip to hold the floppy ends of the valve together.

Pool went home the next day and back to normal activities.

The mitra clip is not yet available to everyone. "I think in 10 to 15 years time the number of patients having open heart surgery for vavular heart disease will represent the minority rather than the majority of patients," said Dr. Casserly.

The procedure is not risk free but researchers said they have encountered few problems.

Not everyone with mitral regurgitation needs to have the valve repaired, sometimes it can be controlled with medication.

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