MitraClip procedure as ‘bridge to list’, the ultimate therapeutic option for end-stage heart failure patients not eligible for heart transplantation due to severe pulmonary hypertension

• Main Authors: Gabriele Crimi, Valeria Gritti, Stefano Ghio, Valeria Crescio, Giulia Magrini, Laura Scelsi, Annalisa Turco, Fabrizio Gazzoli, Maurizio Ferrario, Claudia Raineri, Luigi Oltrona Visconti
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 2018-10-01
• Series: Pulmonary Circulation
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1177/2045894018791871
• ISSN: 2045-8940

Patients with end-stage heart failure (HF), pulmonary hypertension and elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) despite medical therapy are not eligible for heart transplantation (HTx). In this ‘proof of concept’ case series, we demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of the MitraClip procedure as ‘bridge to list’ in end-stage HF patients not eligible for HTx. In fact, in the three patients reported, who were initially excluded from the HTx list because of elevated PVR, the MitraClip procedure was followed by a sustained improvement of PVR, allowing the patients’ risk to be reclassified, and they were then considered eligible for HTx.