First MitraClip Procedure in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit Performed at Hospital CMQ

Primer procedimiento MitraClip en Puerto Vallarta y Riviera Nayarit realizado en Hospital CMQ

Medically reviewed by Leslie Swindle, MD. Cardiologists

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About the author: Dra Leslie Swindle, MD. Cardiologist. Dra. Swindle is a graduate of Anahuac University in Mexico City. She specialized in Cardiology at The Spanish Hospital in Mexico City. Subsequently, she studied a subspecialty in Nuclear Cardiology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Dra Leslie Swindle lives in Puerto Vallarta and works with the greatest passion, professionalism, and ethics at Hospital CMQ. She is certified by the Mexican Committee for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiac Care. Dra Leslie Swindle, MD. leads the Cardiology Department at Hospital CMQ City Center, Hospital CMQ Premiere, and Hospital CMQ Riviera Nayarit.

Quick answer

MitraClip is a catheter-based procedure that repairs a leaking mitral valve (mitral regurgitation) without open-heart surgery, by clipping part of the valve's leaflets together to reduce the leak. Hospital CMQ now offers this procedure in Puerto Vallarta for eligible patients, particularly those who face higher risk with traditional surgery.

What Is MitraClip?

The mitral valve controls blood flow between two chambers of the heart. When it doesn’t close properly, blood leaks backward — a condition called mitral regurgitation — forcing the heart to work harder over time. MitraClip is delivered through a catheter, usually from a vein in the leg, and clips together a portion of the valve’s leaflets to reduce that backward leak, without opening the chest.

Who Is a Candidate?

Patients with significant mitral regurgitation causing symptoms like fatigue or shortness of breath
Patients considered higher risk for traditional open mitral valve surgery
Candidacy confirmed through detailed echocardiogram imaging and evaluation by a heart team

Not every case of mitral regurgitation is suited to this specific approach — a cardiology and cardiac surgery team reviews imaging together to confirm the valve’s anatomy is appropriate.

What Happens During the Procedure?

Performed under general anesthesia with detailed imaging guidance (transesophageal echocardiography), a catheter delivers the clip device to the heart through a vein, most often from the groin. The clip is positioned precisely on the valve leaflets and can be adjusted or repositioned before final placement, allowing the team to confirm the leak has been meaningfully reduced before the procedure ends.

Everything in One Place

From advanced cardiac imaging to the MitraClip procedure and recovery, Hospital CMQ’s cardiology team manages mitral valve disease from evaluation through treatment under one roof.