Jersey Shore University Medical Center Performs More MitraClip Procedures Than Any Other New Jersey Hospital

Center Secures 3-Star Rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons for Quality of Mitral Valve Replacement or Repair

Cardiac experts at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center are experienced leaders in the MitraClip® system for people with severe mitral valve regurgitation (MR), and performed more MitraClip procedures in 2021 than any other hospital in New Jersey.

The MitraClip is a permanent implant device that allows the heart to pump blood more efficiently and relieves the symptoms of MR, including shortness of breath, fatigue, cough and swelling of the feet or ankles. To place the MitraClip, a catheter is inserted through the femoral vein up to the heart. The device is then guided to the mitral valve where it grasps the leaflets to improve valve closure and reduce blood backflow.

The device is an option for those with severe MR who do not have a blood thinner medication intolerance, inflammation or an active infection of the mitral valve or a blood clot in the heart. Insertion does not require the heart-lung bypass machine and typically is offered in an outpatient or ambulatory setting under general anesthesia. Higher risk patients usually require an overnight stay in the hospital to monitor for complications. Most patients experience relief of the MR symptoms shortly after the procedure.

Integration of the MitraClip solution has positively affected quality outcomes for patients with mitral valve dysfunction. Jersey Shore University Medical Center earned a 3-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for the quality of Mitral Valve Replacement or Repair among hospitals across the country. Approximately 12 to 15 percent of hospitals received the 3-star rating, which denotes the highest category of quality.

Learn More about innovative cardiac care at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.