Via Christi Structural Heart Team First in the Midwest to Perform Innovative Catheter-Based Mitral Valve Repair

The new system offers a new option that is a transcatheter procedure vs. traditional surgery and is designed to have the same effects as surgery.

The Structural Heart team led by Bassem Chehab, MD, at Via Christi St. Francis has become the first in the midwestern United States to perform a transcatheter annuloplasty using the AMEND Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVr) Annuloplasty System as part of the nationwide AMEND TS Early Feasibility Study.

The procedure provides a minimally invasive option for patients with mitral valve regurgitation, a common heart condition where the valve between the heart's left chambers does not close tightly. When this valve fails to seal, blood leaks backward into the lungs instead of moving forward to the rest of the body. This backflow forces the heart to work harder, leading to shortness of breath, severe fatigue, swelling in the legs, and over time, heart failure.

Mitral valve regurgitation affects millions of Americans and is the most frequent heart valve disorder in the country, especially among older adults and individuals who have experienced previous heart damage. Many affected individuals cannot safely undergo a surgical procedure to repair the valve due to advanced age, reduced heart function or other chronic medical conditions.

The new system offers a new option that is a transcatheter procedure vs. traditional surgery and is designed to have the same effects as surgery for treatment of mitral regurgitation. Unlike other available transcatheter mitral valve repair procedures, this leaves the door open for additional treatments if needed.

During the procedure, physicians guide a thin, flexible tube (catheter) through a small puncture in a vein in the groin, navigating up to the heart. Through this tube, doctors place a specially shaped ring directly onto the rim of the failing mitral valve, drawing the opening back to its proper size so it can close fully and prevent blood from leaking backward. Because it avoids large incisions or opening the chest, patients typically experience less pain and a much faster return to daily activities.

"For many patients living with severe valve leakage and heart failure, traditional surgery carries too high a risk," said Dr. Chehab, interventional cardiologist and Via Christi's Medical Director of Structural Cardiology, Clinical Cardiology and Research. "This catheter-based approach is designed specifically for individuals who are struggling with persistent symptoms like breathlessness and exhaustion despite taking their medications, but who need a gentler, less invasive solution. It allows us to rebuild the natural foundation of the valve while keeping therapeutic options open for their future care."

Participation in the early feasibility study continues Via Christi St. Francis' ongoing commitment to bringing the latest advancements in minimally invasive cardiovascular therapies to patients across Kansas and the region.

"It is both an honor and a privilege to have Via Christi and Wichita participate in such a highly innovative therapy alongside other major national programs in the United States," said Dr. Chehab. "It allows us to provide our community leading-edge treatment close to home and family."