Piedmont Medical Center - Rock Hill Offers Minimally Invasive Procedure for Those With Mitral Valve Regurgitation

The MitraClip, developed by Abbott, is now available at Piedmont Medical Center - Rock Hill, in South Carolina, to treat patients with a leaking heart valve, known as mitral valve regurgitation (MR). When left untreated, MR can lead to heart failure and death.

The procedure, which is FDA approved, is minimally invasive and involves inserting a small clip, known as the MitraClip, through a catheter in a vein in the leg to reach the heart. The clip is then attached to the mitral valve to help it close more completely. The regurgitant valve occurs when the mitral valve in the heart does not close properly, causing blood to flow backward into the left atrium.

By improving the valve’s function, the procedure aims to alleviate MR symptoms – like shortness of breath and fatigue, heart failure – and to ultimately improve overall health. Patients tend to have short hospital stays – two days, on average.

“I am proud of my team for working strategically to make MitraClip available to patients in our community who are experiencing mitral valve regurgitation,” said Teresa Urquhart, Market CEO of Piedmont Medical Center. “With our group of highly skilled cardiologists and our committed Structural Heart Team, I am confident we can help patients have a better quality of life because of this new addition to our hospital.”

The MitraClip is typically recommended for patients who are not suitable candidates for traditional open-heart surgery due to age, comorbidities, or other factors.