Minimally-Invasive Mitral Valve Replacement
March 18, 2014 | Terry Sharrer
Since 2002, heart surgeons have been able to use a catheter in performing aortic valve repair, and since 2005 they have been capable of doing that on a beating heart. In most instances, the catheter has entered through the femoral artery, but recently surgeons in Vancouver, BC inserted a replacement mitral valve, using a catheter, through the chest and into the heart via the left subcalvian artery (just above the aorta turn to the heart; a much shorter distance than through the leg). The inserted bioprosthesis, which looks something like a flower, is self-expanding with cross-linked bovine-derived tissue attached to a wire alloy frame. MORE
Image Credit: Neovasc, Inc. and Qmed.com