Percutaneous treatment of severe mitral regurgitation is a very interesting therapeutic option for those patients considered not to be suitable candidates for surgery. Different technologies have already demonstrated proof-of-concept, and one of these devices (the Mitraclip device) has already obtained the Conformité Europeéne mark. However, demonstrating safety and efficacy for most of these technologies is being harder than anticipated. Recently, research and development has become more compromised due to the financial crisis. This paper reviews the venues that are currently under evaluation.
Echocardiography can predict which patients will develop severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy
