Currently, the common treatment for severe degenerative MR is mitral valve repair or replacement, an open-heart operation. While highly effective, there are risks associated with surgery in addition to a long mandatory recovery period. This means time away from work, normal activities, and family. Furthermore, some patients with underlying health problems may not be eligible candidates for surgery, due to prohibitive risk. There is where the unmet clinical need presents itself.
Patients with degenerative MR need a safe and simple therapy.
Vesalius Cardiovascular is currently developing the Vesalius transfemoral mitral valve repair system, a biomedical device and delivery system that can be advanced percutaneously to the heart for the treatment of degenerative MR, the most common variety of MR.
For the Vesalius TMVr system, the principles of surgical mitral valve repair are utilized, but sternotomy, heart-lung bypass, and cardiac arrest – components of an open heart operation – are not required. Decades of surgical experience have proven the effectiveness and durability of our applied surgical principles. Today, Vesalius pushes forward to provide the benefit of surgery, but without the need for surgery.
Percutaneous procedures like TAVR for structural heart disease have shown us the immense potential of the percutaneous approach. The less invasive nature of percutaneous procedures means a shorter hospitalization periods, and an earlier return to work and daily activities – as early as 24 hours. For a busy and active patient, this is perhaps the greatest benefit, both functionally and economically. Regarding the healthcare system, a shorter hospitalization means less cost.
There is also a group of patients with other illnesses who are not candidates for surgery, due to prohibitive risk. This is where our solution can fulfill that unmet need by offering an effective treatment for patients who are too sick to undergo traditional surgical operations.
Vesalius TMVr will be implanted by a skilled cardiovascular interventionalist with expert knowledge of mitral valve disease and transcatheter structural heart techniques.
Vesalius TMVr can address both simple and complex degenerative problems with the same simple approach. Whether there is a single leaflet prolapse, or a complex case affecting multiple leaflets, the implantation and repair techniques are the same. The effectiveness and adaptability benefits place Vesalius TMVr above our competitors.