Recently, Professor Chen Mao, Associate Professor Liang
Yujia, and Associate Professor Zhao Zhengang from West China Hospital of
Sichuan University were invited to the Federal State Budgetary Organization
National Cardiology Research Center Ministry of Health of the Russian
Federation in Moscow to perform two challenging transcatheter mitral valve
edge-to-edge repair procedures with the China-made DragonFly™ system in
collaboration with Russia’s Professor Imaev Timur Emvyarovich. This
collaboration not only showcased the international impact of Chinese technology
but also laid the foundation for further in-depth cooperation between the two
institutions.
Mitral regurgitation is one of the most common heart valve
diseases, with an increasing prevalence as age grows. Many patients with severe
mitral regurgitation are unable to undergo surgical treatment due to high
surgical risks. The development of transcatheter valve intervention technology
has brought new hope to these high-risk patients. Professor Chen Mao's team has
accumulated rich experience in the pre-market clinical research of the domestic
DragonFly™ transcatheter mitral valve repair system and is at the forefront in
the field of transcatheter heart valve disease intervention treatment.
The two patients with severe degenerative mitral
regurgitation who underwent the interventional procedure in Russia were both
elderly and at high risk for open-heart mitral valve surgery and the
challenging mitral valve anatomy made transcatheter mitral valve edge-to-edge
repair extremely difficult. The Chinese and Russian interventional teams had
ample communication and discussion before the procedure, devising detailed
strategies. During the procedure, the team successfully delivered the device to
the mitral valve lesion area and accurately clipped it under the guidance of
transesophageal echocardiography and X-rays. Both patients showed significant
improvement in mitral regurgitation, with a marked enhancement in heart
function.
Professor Imaev Timur Emvyarovich highly praised the
professional ability and procedural outcomes of Professor Chen Mao's team,
considering "Chinese products" and "Chinese technology" to
provide more advanced and effective treatment options for global mitral valve
disease patients. Professor Chen Mao stated that Chinese high-end medical
devices are in a period of accelerated technology transformation, and in the
global medical technology field, China’s capabilities are becoming an innovative
force that cannot be ignored.
The DragonFly™, after nearly a decade of development, was
approved for market launch by the National Medical Products Administration
(NMPA) in November 2023, becoming the first domestic transcatheter mitral valve
edge-to-edge repair product via the transfemoral approach that was approved in
China. In February 2024, the one-year follow-up results of the DragonFly™ trial
were published in EuroIntervention, the leading journal in the field of
cardiovascular intervention. The trial results fully validated the safety,
effectiveness, and manipulability of the device.
Professor Chen Mao's team from West China Hospital’s
Cardiology Department has rich experience in transcatheter valve intervention
and has conducted transcatheter interventions for all heart valves. The team's
technical level is leading in China and at an internationally advanced level in
several fields. This trip to Russia to conduct transcatheter mitral valve
edge-to-edge repair further proves the mature experience and first-class
standards of West China Hospital's Cardiology Department in the field of transcatheter
mitral valve repair.