The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough has reached a significant milestone by performing 100 mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) procedures, a pioneering keyhole heart surgery that repairs leaking heart valves without the need for open-heart surgery.
Procedure Details and Patient Impact
Surgeons insert a small clip onto the mitral valve through a vein in the groin to treat mitral regurgitation, a condition that causes severe breathlessness and leg swelling. Patients typically return home the following day and can resume normal activities quickly.
Among the treated patients is 86-year-old Margaret Smith from Nunthorpe, who underwent the procedure on the same day the cardiac team completed their 100th operation. Smith, an active grandmother who climbed Roseberry Topping for her 80th birthday, had recently struggled with everyday movement due to her condition.
Smith recalled her physical deterioration before surgery: "I started suffering with breathlessness; it had a real impact on my life. I live on a slight incline and all of a sudden it felt like a mountain. I stopped wanting to go to the shops as I dreaded going up and down it."
Patient Recovery and Gratitude
After the procedure, Smith's symptoms improved significantly. She said: "I can't thank the entire cardiology team enough; they've been so good to me. I feel perfectly well in myself and can already tell that I'm less breathless." She has now set a personal goal to climb Roseberry Topping once again.
The milestone marks a major achievement for the specialist team led by cardiology consultants Paul Williams, Seth Vijayan, and Richard Graham.
Expert Comments on the Achievement
Dr Paul Williams, cardiology consultant, said: "Mitral TEER is a fantastic treatment, and it is very rewarding to see patients like Margaret benefit so quickly from this procedure. Our structural heart team can now offer treatment to patients with many types of heart valve problem who are not suitable for open heart surgery."
Dr Seth Vijayan, cardiology consultant, added: "This milestone is a testament to the teamwork across our structural heart service, from our specialist nurses and imaging teams to colleagues in the cath lab and wider multidisciplinary team. Many of these patients would previously have had no viable treatment option, so it is incredibly rewarding to offer a minimally invasive procedure that is transforming lives across our region."
Call for Patient Feedback
The hospital trust is now encouraging local patients who have received cardiology treatment across their sites to share their personal experiences. To provide feedback, visit the University Hospitals Tees engagement survey at www.smartsurvey.co.uk/t/Engagement-survey-cardiology.
