Case Background
On August 7, 2024, Shanghai Xinyu Pet Hospital received Dangdang, a 12-year-old Poodle from Shanghai suffering from mitral valve regurgitation. The V-Clamp TEER mitral valve repair surgery for Dangdang was successfully completed by the veterinary doctors at Xinyu Hospital in collaboration with the technical team from Hongyu. The entire procedure took about two and a half hours, with half an hour for device manipulation and ten minutes for clamping. The surgery was highly successful and was independently carried out by the young doctors' team at Xinyu Animal Hospital.
Degenerative mitral valve disease, also known as mitral valve disease, chronic valvular disease, myxomatous or myxomatous mitral valve degeneration (MMVD), and endocardial disease, is the most common cause of heart failure in dogs, accounting for more than 70% of canine cardiovascular diseases. Interventional treatment for severe mitral regurgitation has always been a challenging and significant focus in the field of cardiovascular interventions. And V-Clamp has become one of the effective interventional means to treat severe mitral regurgitation in dogs.
Most dogs with mild to moderate mitral regurgitation (MR) caused by MMVD show no obvious symptoms externally. However, dogs with moderate to severe mitral regurgitation (MR) may exhibit clinical signs of heart failure, such as decreased appetite, lethargy, exercise intolerance, fainting, and weight loss. As mitral regurgitation continues to worsen, most clinical symptoms are due to pulmonary congestion or congestive heart failure, manifesting as coughing, rapid breathing, difficulty breathing, and orthopnea.
Preoperative Examination:
Chordae rupture with flail in segment 2 of the anterior leaflet
Severe mitral regurgitation
Clinical Presentation
Fluid accumulation in the right caudal lung lobe
Pulmonary edema due to congestive heart failure
Noticeable heart murmur, Grade 5
Preoperative echocardiogram
Intraoperative Procedure
Procedure & Outcome
To assess the mitral leaflets' morphology and regurgitation before V-Clamp clamping.
Use echocardiography to guide the V-Clamp for optimal angle and clamping of the leaflets.The entire procedure was performed solely under transesophageal echocardiography guidance.
Snippets of the Surgery
Follow-up & Insights
Postoperative Ultrasound
On the second day after surgery, the ultrasound showed a significant reduction in regurgitation, with the atrium and ventricle size decreased, and an 80% reduction in regurgitation.
Follow-up of One Week Post-Surgery
Discussion
The examination results showed the pulmonary edema resolved, the heart returned to normal size. Dangdang was discharged from the hospital.
We wish Dangdang a healthy and long life! See you in the next follow-up!
About Xinyu Pet Hospital
Shanghai Xinyu Pet (Pet Cardiology Specialist) Hospital was established in 2019 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shanghai Hongyu Medical. The hospital is positioned as a flagship specialist hospital for pet cardiac screening and treatment and is the first heart specialist hospital in China to perform minimally invasive mitral valve surgery for pets. It provides high-end, specialized cardiac treatment services for pets across the country while also supporting partnered pet hospitals with training and surgical technical support services. The hospital has a professional team of veterinarians and an excellent postoperative care team and is equipped with various advanced diagnostic and treatment equipment. It offers minimally invasive surgery for mitral valve regurgitation in pets and provides practical training for domestic and international veterinary experts. As of the end of 2023, Shanghai Xinyu Pet Hospital has successfully conducted V-Clamp technical training for over 50 hospitals worldwide.
About Shanghai Hongyu Medical
Closing Notes
Founded in 2019, with a registered capital of 10 million RMB, Shanghai Hongyu Medical Technology Co.,Ltd. is a high-tech enterprise dedicated to pet cardiology research, innovative medical device R & D and commercialization. lts core product is the self-developed mitral valve interventional repair device V-Clamp. It is currently the only surgical instrument around the world which can be used to treat mitral regurgitation for pet dogs.
In addition to the R & D, production and sales of medical devices for animal heart disease, Hongyu Medical is also committed to promoting exchanges and cooperation between domestic and international veterinarians, and providing veterinarians at home and abroad with theoretical and technical training related to the diagnosis, treatment and care of pet animal heart disease.
