ROCK HILL, S.C. ― The MitraClip, developed by Abbott, is now available at Piedmont Medical Center - Rock Hill for patients suffering from a leaking heart valve, which is known at mitral valve regurgitation (MR). When left untreated, MR can ultimately 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 clip is used to help close the regurgitant valve, which 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 Mitral Clip procedure aims to alleviate symptoms from MR like shortness of breath and fatigue, heart failure, and ultimately improving overall health. Patients tend to have short hospital stays – on average two days.

“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.”

 “We are pleased to add the MitraClip to our treatment options for patients”, said Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Arun Nagabandi. “This catheter-based technology is critical for those living with heart failure to improve symptoms, quality of life, and increase life expectancy.  By keeping care local, we can reduce wait times in our footprint of Fort Mill, Rock Hill, Indian Land, Lancaster, Southeast Charlotte, and Ballantyne.”

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