The Abbott valve repair device, which essentially clips the mitral valve shut, was tested in a study that company-funded researchers said showed it was roughly equivalent to surgery.
Following the approval of the first device for transcathether aortic valve replacement therapy (TAVR) earlier this month, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and The American College of Cardiology (ACC) have announced the launch of th e TVT Registry, a joint initiative that will monitor the rollout of the new technology.
In the new procedure, the valve is created by inserting a surgical device that looks like a toy fishing pole into the mouth and snaking it down the throat to where the esophagus meets the stomach.