A series of minimally invasive procedures was performed on patients with severe mitral regurgitation using the transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) approach during an international hands-on workshop at the Almaty Research Institute of Cardiology and Internal Diseases. The procedures were performed on beating hearts without opening the chest or using a heart-lung machine, by a team of Kazakhstani cardiologists working alongside physicians from China.
International collaboration
The joint surgical team included Professor Liu Yan, director of the Department of Echocardiography at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University; Professor An Guipeng, an international expert in intraoperative echocardiographic guidance for structural heart interventions; and specialist Zhang Chao.
Representing Kazakhstan, the multidisciplinary team from the research institute was led by Alexey Kolesnikov, head of the Endovascular Surgery Unit. The team also included interventional cardiologists Almat Kalzhanov, Nurzhan Temenov, Arystan Kuzhukeyev and Marzhan Ilyaskyzy.
Thorough preparation
According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Health, the medical team conducted comprehensive clinical evaluations before the procedures and discussed modern approaches to patient selection and the technical aspects of the TEER procedure.
«All procedures were performed using the advanced DragonFly system, which enables independent grasping of the mitral valve leaflets to provide effective treatment for mitral regurgitation,» the ministry said in a statement.
Using transesophageal echocardiography to guide the procedures, the physicians ensured precise placement of the DragonFly system, accurately evaluated the results of each intervention, and maintained the highest level of patient safety throughout the procedures. All interventions were successful.
The research institute said that adopting this technology will expand access to advanced cardiac care for patients with severe mitral regurgitation and improve their quality of life.
