Long-term Israeli Single-Center Experience with the Percutaneous MitraClip Procedure

Background: The MitraClip procedure is becoming an acceptable alternative for high-risk patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) due to functional (FMR) or degenerative (DMR) disease and suitable mitral anatomy. Objectives: To evaluate the results of MitraClip at our institute in carefully selected patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records and echocardiography data from January 2012 to December 2017. Results: A total of 39 MitraClip procedures in 37 patients (aged 75 12 years, 9 women) was performed. Twenty-four patients presented with FMR, 12 with DMR, and 1 with combined pathology. One-day post-procedure MR was reduced to moderate or lower in 86.1% of patients, with immediate device success in 88.8%. MR at 1 year was moderate or lower in 79%. Survival at 1 year was 86% and at 2 years 69.4%. Peri-procedural (< 1 week) death and MitraClip failure occurred in one and three patients, respectively. New York Heart Association score improved to class 1 or 2 in 37% of patients at 1 year vs. one patient at baseline. Post-procedural systolic pulmonary pressure was reduced from 53 (range 48-65) to 43 (range 36-52) mmHg at 1 month with a subsequent plateau at follow-up to 41 (34-57) mmHg at 6 months and 47 (38-50) at 12 months. Conclusions: MitraClip in severe MR resulted in modest improvement in functional status and pulmonary pressure with a small risk of immediate procedural complications. Outcomes are encouraging considering the natural course of MR and the risks of surgical intervention.