Specialty Procedure Gives Patient a Second Chance at Life

Thanks to a partnership with the Cardiovascular Institute of the South, Lafayette General Medical Center has positioned itself to bring innovative techniques for treating life-threating heart disorders to the Acadiana region that have previously been available only at select hospitals across the country.

Dr. Peter Fail, interventional cardiologist and co-director of the Structural Heart Program at Terrebonne General Medical Center, noticed several patients throughout the area were coming to him to hear more about the non-invasive procedure used to treat heart failure – Mitra Clip – used to treat heart failure. It was when Dr. Fail began seeing patients at Lafayette General Medical Center that he met Armando Rosado.

Most patients who qualify for this procedure suffer from Mitral Regurgitation – a condition affecting one of the valves in your heart, the mitral valve. The mitral valve is located between your heart’s two left chambers. It has two flaps of tissue, which open and close to ensure that blood flows in only one direction. When the mitral valve fails to close completely, blood leaks backward inside your heart, causing mitral regurgitation. This can be related to age, a birth defect or heart disease.

Mitral regurgitation places an extra burden on your heart and lungs, often causing an enlarged heart from it having to work harder to pump blood through the body. This can also lead to heart failure, which occurs when your heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the needs of your body.

Heart failure is what brought Armando Rosado to Dr. Fail. At 87 years old, he was told surgery was not an option. “I felt like I was running out of options,” Armando said, “meeting Dr. Fail and hearing the Mitra Clip was an option, felt like an answer to my prayer.”

His medical history was reviewed by both a cardiac surgeon and a cardiologist who performed a variety of tests before determining Armando would be a good candidate for the Mitra Clip.

One reason this procedure is so non-invasive is that entry point is through the groin, with no need to “crack” open the chest. In most cases, patients are able to leave from their procedure the following day. “The structural heart arena has really expanded options for patients over the past 15 years. Although these are very selective patients, the field is expanding,” said Dr.Fail. “Patients will always choose the less invasive option if it’s offered to them.”

Armando went from not being able to do virtually any activity to now attending family events again, including his grandson’s soccer games. “I feel like I’ve been given a second chance at life,” said Armando.

If you or a family member have significant degenerative mitral regurgitation and have been told there are few medical options, contact Cardiovascular Institute of the South in partnership with Lafayette General Medical Center at (337) 289-8429.