New minimally invasive trial for elder heart valve patients

The older we get the harder it is for us to make it through surgical procedures and invasive treatments. That is somewhat tongue in cheek due to the fact that as we get older we need more treatment and surgeries. This also proves true for heart patients and more specifically heart valve patients.

There is a minimally invasive Phase II EVEREST clinical trial with the aim of treating malfunctioning heart valves in the elderly.

The new technique, already proven safe by a Phase I clinical trial in 2005, involves only a small incision through the skin in the groin. A small catheter is then guided up through the maze of the blood vessels of the circulatory system and into the targeted heart chamber. Then, a tiny metal clip is clamped into the area to stabilize the malfunctioning valve. This less-invasive method also means less morbidity and less recovery time — as little as a one-day stay in the hospital compared to the usual five days.

via Science Daily