Dragoslav from Belgrade, 75 years old, suffered a heart attack decades ago, underwent a double bypass surgery a quarter of a century ago, received a stent ten years ago, and now faced severe mitral regurgitation—a condition where the heart valve fails to close properly, causing blood to flow backward. With additional health issues, he was frequently in hospitals and was not a candidate for traditional open-heart surgery, as he would not have survived.
However, yesterday, he found salvation and made history in Serbian medicine as the first patient to undergo the MitraClip procedure at the Dedinje Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases—a minimally invasive intervention, performed without open-heart surgery. Now, he is cheerful, smiling, expected to go home tomorrow, and even plans to drive right away.
A New Chance for 200 More Patients
Dragoslav received a new lease on life, and now around 200 more patients across Serbia can hope for the same. Minister of Health Zlatibor Lončar announced today that the government will finance this new procedure, which costs around €30,000 per patient.
“These patients could not undergo traditional cardiac surgery because the risk was too high—they would not have survived. MitraClip was their only chance. Keep in mind that as we age, it becomes increasingly difficult to find patients who can endure classic interventions, making minimally invasive procedures necessary. We have the specialists, and the government will provide logistics and incentives. This is a great success for Serbian healthcare, for ‘Dedinje,’ and for all our people,” Lončar stated at a press conference at ‘Dedinje’.
The materials for the first two procedures were donated by the Abbott company, and the minister pledged that the state will fund future interventions.
“The cost of the necessary materials is around €30,000 per patient. We estimate that currently in Serbia, there are about 200 patients in need of this procedure, so we will immediately procure materials for 50 interventions,” Lončar announced.
He also called for Dedinje’s doctors to train teams in other medical centers across Serbia that have the capacity and willingness to perform MitraClip, eliminating the need for patients to travel abroad for treatment.
A Breakthrough for Heart Failure Patients
Professor Dr. Milovan Bojić, director of Dedinje, emphasized that this method is crucial for patients with chronic heart failure and severe mitral regurgitation.
“The skilled hands of Dr. Mihajlo Farkić and Professor Aleksandra Nikolić have saved lives. This procedure was standardized in 2013 and is now routinely performed in most centers across Europe and the world. Now, it is our turn,” Prof. Bojić stated.
The procedure does not require opening the chest; instead, a special catheter is inserted through the femoral vein, guided by ultrasound, until it reaches the heart, where the MitraClip device is precisely placed on the mitral valve leaflets, binding them together to improve closure, reduce or eliminate regurgitation, and restore proper blood flow.
Describing the procedure as a revolution in cardiovascular medicine, Dr. Farkić reported that both patients (a man and a woman, both 75 years old) are feeling great and will be discharged tomorrow.
“The patient had severe mitral regurgitation (4+), but now it’s reduced to just a small trace. He feels well and breathes more easily,” Dr. Farkić said.
Professor Nikolić, who guided the procedure using ultrasound, explained that the female patient had frequent hospitalizations, but…
“Yesterday, after the intervention, she said that for the first time in years, she could sleep on a flat surface,” Prof. Nikolić shared.
She also highlighted that the procedure is extremely elegant, providing immediate improvement visible right on the operating table.
“The great advantage of this method is that it is guided by echocardiography, which minimizes radiation exposure for both the patient and the entire medical team. Not only is the procedure itself safe, but patients can return to a normal life. Today, we even heard that one of them plans to drive tomorrow,” Prof. Nikolić stated.
Hollywood Legend Elizabeth Taylor Also Had This “Little Jewel on Her Heart”
The first successful MitraClip procedure was performed in 2003 at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, California, led by Dr. Frederick St. Goar. The device later underwent a series of clinical trials and studies, receiving FDA approval in 2013 for patients with severe mitral regurgitation who are not candidates for traditional surgery.
One of Dr. St. Goar’s patients was the legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor—long before the device was officially approved.
“She was frequently hospitalized. When she was offered this innovative technology, she agreed. When she entered the operating room, she was wearing a lot of jewelry, and doctors told her she had to remove it. She looked in the mirror and said: ‘Take it all off. I’m about to get a little jewel on my heart.’ She truly went on to live a better quality life after that,” Prof. Nikolić recalled.
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Source: Kurir, Foto: Petar Aleksić