What You Need to Know
In 2023, the Structural and Congenital Heart Program at Hackensack University Medical Center — ranked #42 in the nation for Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery by U.S. News & World Report — was the busiest MitraClip program in New Jersey, performing 58 mitral valve repair procedures using the device. From 2022 to 2023, the hospital’s MitraClip program experienced 93.3 percent growth, compared to the national average of only 1.4 percent.
In addition to being New Jersey’s highest-volume program, the Hackensack University Medical Center Structural Heart team is among the highest-volume MitraClip groups in the nation, with success rates and outcomes that exceed national averages.
Ryan K. Kaple, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, director of the Hackensack University Medical Center Structural and Congenital Heart Program, is one of the most experienced MitraClip operators in the country.
“MitraClip is a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure that allows interventional cardiologists to repair leaky mitral valves. As we perform this procedure by going through the blood vessels, patients typically return home the day after the procedure and have an easy recovery,” said Dr. Kaple.
“The procedure has been shown to reduce symptoms of congestive heart failure (CHF) and improve quality of life in people with mitral valve regurgitation, as well as reduce the risk of death and hospital readmission. I am also pleased that a similar device (TriClip) was recently approved by the FDA to treat the tricuspid valve, which is going to be a critically important procedure for many of our patients. I was part of the research trial that led to this approval, and we anticipate being able to offer the TriClip procedure to our patients very soon.