Aims: This analysis from the German Mitral Valve Registry investigates the impact of the learning curve with the MitraClip(®) technique on procedural success and complications.
Methods and results: Consecutive patients treated since 2009 in centers that performed more than 50 transcatheter mitral repairs were included. Results of the first half of the patients were compared to those of the second. Altogether 496 patients from 10 centers were included. Patients treated later had less common severe heart failure symptoms (patients with NYHA IV: 22.1 vs. 14.5 %, p < 0.05). The EuroSCORE I (22.0 vs. 23.0 %, p = ns) and Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score (7.5 vs. 9.5 %, p = ns) did not differ between both groups. Procedural success was 95.6 % (238/249) in the first cases and 94.7 % (232/245, p = ns) subsequently. Also procedural time (104.3 vs. 119 min, p = ns) and complications did not decrease over time.
Conclusion: A learning curve using the MitraClip(®) device does not appear to significantly affect acute MR reduction, hospital and 30-day mortality. Most likely, the proctor system leads to already high initial procedure success and relatively short procedure time.