Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center‘s Structural and Congenital Heart Program ranked No. 42 in the nation for Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery by U.S. News & World Report in 2023 and was the busiest MitraClip program in New Jersey.
The Hackensack-based health facility preformed 58 mitral valve repair procedures using the device. From 2022 to 2023, the hospital’s MitraClip program experienced 93.3% growth, compared to the national average of only 1.4%.
Dr. Ryan Kaple, director of the Hackensack University Medical Center Structural and Congenital Heart Program, is one of the most experienced MitraClip operators in the country.
In addition to being New Jersey’s highest-volume program, the Hackensack University Medical Center Structural Heart team is among the highest-volume MitraClip groups in the nation, with success rates and outcomes that exceed national averages. The program offers a lifesaving, minimally invasive alternative to open heart surgery.
“MitraClip is a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure that allows interventional cardiologists to repair leaky mitral valves. As we perform this procedure by going through the blood vessels, patients typically return home the day after the procedure and have an easy recovery,” Kaple said. “The procedure has been shown to reduce symptoms of congestive heart failure and improve quality of life in people with mitral valve regurgitation, as well as reduce the risk of death and hospital readmission. I am also pleased that a similar device (TriClip) was recently approved by the FDA to treat the tricuspid valve, which is going to be a critically important procedure for many of our patients. I was part of the research trial that led to this approval, and we anticipate being able to offer the TriClip procedure to our patients very soon.
“Though it’s hard to name all the members of our team who have been instrumental in our program’s success, everyone — from clinical and administrative leaders to our colleagues to our nurses and support staff — has worked tirelessly this year to support our patients, expand our capabilities and grow our program. As a result, we’ve been able to create a positive patient experience and deliver outstanding outcomes, even for challenging and complex cases — a remarkable accomplishment that speaks to the efforts of our entire MitraClip team.”
