One hundred patients are enjoying a renewed lease of life thanks to a pioneering heart procedure performed at The James Cook University Hospital.
Since carrying out its first mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) in 2019, the Middlesbrough hospital has treated 100 patients with the minimally invasive procedure.
The innovative treatment offers a minimally invasive option for people living with mitral regurgitation.
Mitral regurgitation is condition where the heart’s mitral valve leaks, causing severe symptoms such as breathlessness, leg swelling, and fatigue.
The condition is difficult to manage with medication alone and open-heart surgery can be too risky for older patients.
A quicker return home
TEER is a minimally invasive alternative to open heart surgery and involves inserting a small clip onto the valve through a vein in the groin.
Patients typically return home the next day with minimal recovery time, helping them to return to the activities they enjoy.
Margaret’s journey to better heart health
One of the patients to benefit from the pioneering procedure is Margaret Smith, who was treated on the day the cardiac team completed its 100th TEER procedure.
The 86-year-old from Nunthorpe always considered herself fit and active for her age. On her 80th birthday she celebrated by climbing Roseberry Topping with her grandchildren.
But, in more recent years her confidence and lifestyle started to deteriorate.
She said: “I started suffering with breathless; it had a real impact on my life.
“I live on a slight incline and all a sudden it felt like a mountain. I stopped wanting to go to the shops as I dreaded going up and down it.”
Following tests, Margaret was diagnosed with mitral regurgitation and was swiftly booked in for the TEER procedure.
Margaret was discharged the day after her procedure and felt the positive difference quickly.
She added: “I can’t thank the entire cardiology team enough; they’ve been so good to me.
I feel perfectly well in myself and can already tell that I’m less breathless.”
With her symptoms starting to improve, Margaret, has set herself the goal of climbing Roseberry Topping once again.
Transforming lives, one patient at a time
The 100TH milestone marks a significant achievement for the specialist TEER team, led by cardiology consultants Paul Williams, Seth Vijayan and Richard Graham.
Dr Williams said: “Mitral TEER is a fantastic treatment, and it is very rewarding to see patients like Margaret benefit so quickly from this procedure.
“Our structural heart team can now offer treatment to patients with many types of heart valve problem who are not suitable for open heart surgery.”
Dr Vijayan added: “This milestone is a testament to the teamwork across our structural heart service, from our specialist nurses and imaging teams to colleagues in the cath lab and wider multidisciplinary team.
Many of these patients would previously have had no viable treatment option, so it is incredibly rewarding to offer a minimally invasive procedure that is transforming lives across our region.”
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