Overview
This week, Dr. Brian Maran, Dr. E. B., and Dr. Mikaela Mueller from Olympic Veterinary Cardiology visited Shanghai Hongyu Medical to participate in a specialized training session focused on the V-Clamp technology for transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) of mitral valves. Their team has dedicated over a year to studying the theoretical aspects of this innovative technique, but this was their first opportunity to engage in hands-on training.
During the session, they expressed high praise for the training, highlighting how it significantly enhanced their understanding and provided practical insights that would be invaluable in their veterinary practices back home. The experiential learning allowed them to translate their theoretical knowledge into practical skills, equipping them to tackle complex cases with greater confidence. Overall, the training not only solidified their understanding of the V-Clamp procedure but also inspired them with new possibilities for improving patient outcomes in their clinics.
Highlights
Dr. E. B. Okrasinski has been a highly respected surgeon in the Puget Sound area since 1992 when he created Veterinary Surgery Services, a fully equipped mobile surgery practice and the only one of its kind in the region. Dr. E. B. specializes in technically challenging soft tissue, oncologic and orthopedic surgeries.
Dr. Maran is the founder and a cardiologist at Olympic Veterinary Cardiology, LLC, and is board certified in Cardiology by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). He obtained his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Mississippi State University and completed a small animal medical and surgical internship at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
He went on to complete his Cardiology residency and earn a Master’s degree in pharmacogenomics at Washington State University, where he received the Outstanding Resident Research Award from ACVIM in both 2010 and 2011. Additionally, Dr. Maran worked as a locum cardiologist at the University of Florida, where he trained students and residents and managed clinical services, including a range of minimally invasive surgeries.
Details
For many years, he has also been an adjunct faculty member at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. An internationally recognized speaker, he lectures on various cardiology and veterinary medicine topics, delivering numerous continuing education sessions for veterinarians across the United States. His global impact is evident through his teaching engagements in countries such as Spain, Mexico, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Dr. Mueller is board certified in Cardiology by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). She received her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and completed a small animal medical and surgical internship at Advanced Veterinary Care Center in Lawndale, California.
Dr. Mueller completed her Cardiology residency at the University of California, Davis, where she was honored with the Outstanding Small Animal Research Study and Presentation Award in 2015. Prior to joining Olympic Veterinary Cardiology, she worked in multi-doctor specialty hospitals in the Seattle, Renton, and Tacoma areas. Additionally, she served as a locum cardiologist at various hospitals in Utah and California, as well as at the University of Washington. Dr. Mueller has also been involved in creating curriculum and delivering continuing education lectures in Cardiology for foreign veterinarians.
Outcomes
Olympic Veterinary Cardiology is a local practice located in the Greater Seattle Area, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of veterinary heart disease. They are dedicated to supporting families in Seattle, Everett, and nearby communities.
The clinic offers thorough cardiac evaluations, systemic blood pressure assessments, digital diagnostic ECG (6 Lead), and detailed echocardiograms that include B-Mode, M-Mode, and Doppler studies, ensuring comprehensive care for their patients.
Training Snippets
We hope more patients in great Seattle area will be help by V-Clamp with the joint efforts of Olympic Veterinary Cardiology and Hongyu Medical!
Discussion
About Hongyu Medical
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. Hongyu Medical adheres to the concept of innovation and development and strives to benefit the life of pets, committing to become one of the global leading enterprises treating pet heart diseases.
About V-Clamp
The V-Clamp is a specialized medical device used in veterinary cardiology to treat mitral valve regurgitation (MVR), a common heart condition in dogs. Mitral valve regurgitation occurs when the mitral valve does not close properly, causing blood to flow backward into the left atrium of the heart. This can lead to heart enlargement, congestive heart failure, and other serious health issues.
V-Clamp is a small device (approximately 8 mm in length) that is implanted to clamp together the two mitral valve leaflets of patients with MVR to reduce blood leaking backwards through the valve. V-Clamp is proved to effectively reduce severity of canine mitral valve regurgitation and it is currently the only medical device for canine mitral regurgitation available on the market.
