BonSecours Mercy Health MRMC performs first Paravalvular mitral leak closure

At BonSecours / Mercy Health Memorial Regional Medical Center (MRMC) in Mechanicsville Virginia, we continue to expand our footprint with our Structural Heart Program offering.? Structural heart cases are minimally invasive, completed in the Cath Lab, and offer patients who may not be candidates for traditional surgery an opportunity that they may not have otherwise.?

MRMC performed our first complex Paravalvular mitral leak closure with Dr. Brinder Kanda (Richmond Heart and Vascular group) today.? Dr. Kanda is pictured with the Cath Lab team that worked today’s case. Mitral paravalvular leak (PVL) closure is a minimally invasive procedure that repairs leaks in the mitral valve that occur after heart valve replacement.

During the procedure, an interventional cardiologist uses a catheter to guide a closure device through the femoral artery in the thigh and into the valve. The device acts as a plug to block the leak.? PVL occurs when a space forms between the natural heart tissue and the valve replacement. It's a common problem that affects up to 25% of patients after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and up to 5% of patients after surgical valve replacement. PVL can cause disabling symptoms related to heart failure or hemolysis, and without treatment, it can damage the heart over time and even be fatal.

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