Singapore doctors perform new heart valve treatment

Doctors at the National Heart Center Singapore has been using a new minimally invasive procedure to treat patient with valve problems, local broadcaster Channel NewsAsia reported. The center has been the first in Asia to perform the procedure, and four patients have received the treatment that helps improve a patient's hear function, it said on Tuesday. The procedure is performed through a small incision in the groin and then a 4 millimeter wide metallic clip is delivered through a tube to the heart. The leaky valve is clipped in the middle to reduce the amount of regurgitation. "The key point is that they have great safety. (The) procedure is done safely. Patients have a very short hospital stay. They do not require to be put on a prolonged mechanical ventilation or life support," said Yeo Khung Keong, consultant to the Department of Cardiology at the center. Nevertheless, Yeo cautioned there are some risks with the procedure, such as bleeding complications. The center expects two to four patients a month seeking the treatment, which is not meant as routine therapy for patients who are at low risk and who may otherwise benefit from current surgical techniques. It is aimed for patients with severe mitral valve regurgitation, a condition where the valve does not close tightly, allowing blood to flow backward.