Functional mitral regurgitation has a number of treatment options – each with its benefits, limitations, and side effects. Prosthetic valves and open heart surgery are common, but an ambitious new option that might be appropriate for a lot of patients is now being tested for the first time in humans. The VenTouch system from Mardil Medical (Plymouth, MN) wraps the heart in an implantable pouch that delivers pressure onto the enlarged left ventricle and hopefully helps improve cardiac function.
It’s delivered through an incision between the ribs and doesn’t require any actual surgery to the heart, mitral valve, or vasculature around them. The device can be deflated or inflated to adjust its effectiveness post surgery using a syringe via a port on its side. The first two patients had the implant installed at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and others are to follow in other institutions around the world. Here’s a video explaining the implantation of the VenTouch:
Product page: VenTouch System…
Announcement: Mardil Medical Announces First Human Implants of the VenTouch™ Ventricular Reshaping Device