First Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement, or TMVR, allows doctors to replace a malfunctioning mitral valve — either the patient’s own or bioprosthetic valve from a previous surgery — using a small tube called a catheter inserted into a large vein in the groin instead of conventional open-heart surgery.

The procedure was approved by the FDA in mid-2018 as an alternative for patients with severe mitral valve disease who are poor candidates or have increased risk for conventional mitral valve surgery.

This minimally invasive approach allows patients to avoid another open heart surgery.