• Los Robles Regional Medical Center Offers New MitraClip Procedure to Repair Mitral Valve Leakage

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    July 06, 2018
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact: Adam Blackstone                                                                                                 
    Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations
    Los Robles Health System
    (805) 370-4678
    Adam.Blackstone@HCAHealthcare.com
     
    Los Robles Regional Medical Center Offers New MitraClip Procedure to Repair Mitral Valve Leakage

    Thousand Oaks, CA, July 2, 2018 – Los Robles Regional Medical Center added a new procedure to its service offerings to correct mitral regurgitation (MR). Mitral regurgitation is leakage of blood backward through the mitral valve each time the left ventricle contracts. Leakage can increase blood volume and pressure in the area. The increased blood pressure in the left atrium can increase pressure in the veins leading from the lungs to the heart. If regurgitation is severe, increased pressure may result in congestion (or fluid build-up) in the lungs. Oftentimes, this results in symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, heart palpitations, or even swollen feet or ankles.
     
    Previously, in order to treat a leaky mitral valve, patients would need open heart surgery to repair or replace the damaged valve, resulting in longer hospital stays with a more challenging recovery. The MitraClip made by Abbott, however, treats the condition with a minimally-invasive outpatient procedure using a catheter introduced through a vessel in the patient's leg to implant the device.
     
    “With the addition of the MitraClip procedure, we are offering our communities more treatment options and hope, right here in their own backyard,” said Dr. Vishva Dev, Director of Cardiology at Los Robles Regional Medical Center.
     
    “We are pleased to offer another milestone in the treatment of cardiovascular conditions by introducing yet another advanced procedure,” said Dr. Gregory Fontana, Director of the Cardiovascular Institute of Los Robles Regional Medical Center. “Our heart team at the Cardiovascular Institute, comprised of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, cardiac anesthesiologists, radiologists, intensive care physicians, and clinicians make such progressive cardiac care possible.”
     
     
    Nearly one in 10 people ages 75 and older has moderate or severe MR; it is the most frequent valve disease in the United States. Mitral regurgitation can be related to many factors, including age, a birth defect or underlying heart disease. Patients with moderate or severe MR are often undertreated because they are considered too high risk for surgery or they choose not to have the surgery.
     
    “It was a wonderful, life-saving experience,” said 81-year-old Carol Hebrank, a Thousand Oaks resident who recently underwent Mitral valve repair at Los Robles. “It was painless and I was able to leave the hospital the very next day.”
     
    Patients like Mrs. Hebrank are often homebound, require assistance in the home setting, experience shortness of breath, and rely on oxygen to assist in breathing without chest pain. Following treatment of the mitral valve, patients typically experience improvements in functional capacity and quality of life.
     
    With the accessibility of the new MitraClip procedure in Ventura County, residents can correct this relatively common issue and reduce or eliminate valve leakage. Patients who did not previously meet eligibility requirements for valve replacement may now be eligible for the new transcatheter mitral valve repair procedure as a treatment option. For more information, call the Cardiovascular Institute of Los Robles Regional Medical Center at (805) 852-9100, or visit CVILosRobles.com
     
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    About Los Robles Regional Medical Center
    Los Robles Regional Medical Center is a licensed 382-bed acute care facility. Fully accredited by The Joint Commission, Los Robles has the only Level II Trauma Center in Eastern Ventura County and the only Emergency room in both Los Angeles and Ventura Counties with the coveted EDAP (Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics) rating. In addition, it is the only hospital certified by both Counties as a STEMI-designated heart attack center for rapid heart attack response and is a certified Comprehensive Stroke Center. With over 600 physicians on its medical staff, representing over 50 medical and dental specialties, Los Robles is proud to be the community’s most trusted resource for health and a regional destination for care.