Local firm creates new-generation mitral valve to cure heart disease
The product is the first mitral regurgitation treatment with atrial-only fixation that is designed to minimize the risks of surgery.
A next-generation mitral valve replacement, created by a Shanghai tech company, has finished its first batch of human surgeries and is expected to hit the domestic market soon.
The AltaValve from the strategic partner of Microport CardioFlow Medtech Corp based at Zhangjiang High-Tech Park in the Puding New Area has been transplanted into two patients suffering from severe mitral regurgitation (MR) in Greece.
The transcatheter mitral valve became the only solution for the patients who were unsuitable for conventional surgeries such as thoracotomies.
Both have been discharged from hospital with notable improvements in their cardiac function and quality of life.
The product is the first MR treatment with atrial-only fixation that is designed to minimize the risks of surgery and suitable for patients who, for various reasons, cannot have conventional surgeries, according to Microport CardioFlow, the biggest stakeholder of the product's developer, 4C Medical, and its exclusive seller in China.
MR is a common valvular heart disease, which refers to the mitral valve's inability to close completely, causing blood to flow from the left ventricle into the left atrium during ventricular systole.
There are about 96.7 million MR patients across the world and nearly one ninth of them are in China.
