NHLBI DIR Transcatheter Mitral Cerclage Annuloplasty Early Feasibility Study

This research protocol tests a new technique and devices that we have developed to treat functional mitral valve regurgitation, called transcatheter mitral valve cerclage annuloplasty, otherwise known as "cerclage". Functional mitral valve regurgitation is a condition caused by damaged heart muscle involving the left ventricle which results in mitral valve leakage. This leakage causes heart failure (breathlessness and lack of energy especially when walking or exercising, and hospital admissions for fluid buildup). This is an early feasibility study (EFS) evaluation of special devices, permanently implanted in the heart, to perform mitral cerclage annuloplasty. Mitral cerclage annuloplasty is a catheter procedure performed under X-ray and ultrasound guidance without surgery. The cerclage devices compress the mitral valve like a purse-string. The cerclage device has a special feature that prevents a coronary artery from getting squeezed as part of this purse-string. The protocol has been changed to allow patients who have mitral valve regurgitation despite prior Mitra-Clip treatment, and to allow patients who have symptomatic heart failure with mild mitral regurgitation.