Shanghai, January 6 — In a multidisciplinary collaboration, the Department of Cardiology at Renji Hospital has successfully performed a high-precision, minimally invasive "transcatheter mitral valve clip (MitraClip) + left atrial appendage closure" one-stop procedure on a patient with chronic refractory heart failure, severe mitral regurgitation, and atrial fibrillation. This breakthrough intervention has brought long-awaited relief to the patient, who had endured years of debilitating symptoms.
Transcatheter Mitral Valve Clip (MitraClip) + Left Atrial Appendage Closure" Interventional Team
The patient, Mr. Wu, a 68-year-old man, suffered from chronic refractory heart failure for six years, accompanied by severe chest tightness, shortness of breath, and disrupted sleep. Diagnosed with severe mitral regurgitation, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes, gout, lacunar cerebral infarction, and post-cardiac pacemaker implantation, his complex medical history and multiple comorbidities had previously left him without effective treatment options.
Over the past month, Mr. Wu’s condition worsened significantly. Cardiac ultrasound revealed severe mitral regurgitation and a critically reduced left ventricular ejection fraction of 25%, which persisted despite intensive drug therapy. Deemed unfit for traditional open-heart surgery due to poor cardiac function and comorbidities, a multidisciplinary team—including cardiology, cardiac ultrasound, radiology, anesthesiology, critical care, and nursing—designed a tailored minimally invasive strategy.
Guided by cutting-edge CTA+CBCT 3D image fusion technology and echocardiography, Professor Pu Jun’s team from the Department of Cardiology first implanted a mitral valve clip to capture and secure the most severe regurgitant area between the anterior and posterior leaflets. Post-clip echocardiography showed near-complete elimination of medial regurgitation, with residual lateral leakage. A second clip was then deployed parallel to the first, effectively resolving the severe mitral regurgitation. Subsequently, the team implanted a left atrial appendage closure device under image fusion guidance. The procedure concluded successfully, with the patient’s physiological parameters stabilizing and recovery progressing smoothly.
One-Stop Minimally Invasive Cardiac Intervention Guided by Precision Image Fusion Technology
Mitral regurgitation, one of the most common valvular heart diseases, is a leading cause of chronic refractory heart failure. Many patients with severe cases are ineligible for open-heart surgery due to age or comorbidities. The transcatheter MitraClip procedure—a minimally invasive edge-to-edge repair technique—has emerged as a global standard for high-risk patients, requiring only a femoral vein puncture and offering faster recovery. However, its technical complexity, demanding precise imaging and multidisciplinary coordination, limits its availability to a select number of advanced cardiac centers worldwide.
Mr. Wu’s case posed exceptional challenges: functional severe mitral regurgitation with restricted posterior leaflet mobility and atrial fibrillation-induced heart failure. Renji Hospital’s Department of Cardiology, a national leader in multimodal image fusion-guided structural heart interventions, has marked a significant milestone with this successful one-stop procedure.
This achievement underscores Renji Hospital’s pioneering role in advancing minimally invasive therapies for complex cardiovascular conditions, offering new hope for patients previously deemed untreatable.
About MitraClip and Image Fusion Technology
The MitraClip procedure, an internationally recognized minimally invasive intervention, enables mitral valve repair without open surgery. Image fusion technology, integrating real-time echocardiography with 3D radiographic imaging, provides unparalleled precision in device positioning and procedural guidance, revolutionizing outcomes for high-risk patients.