Banner Health is bringing a less invasive procedure to help people suffering from a malfunctioning heart valve.
Banner Health Cardiologist Dr. Manoj Rawal said the heart has four valves that help to prevent the backflow of blood. If the mitral valve is damaged, it cannot close completely with each heartbeat and allows blood to move backward.
It’s the condition behind the MitraClip procedure, which uses a medical device to stem the backflow of blood and, for patients, avoid open heart surgery that can have a much longer and more complicated recovery. Surgeons enter through an artery in the groin and travel to the heart for the procedure.
