Posted: Mar 14, 2010 7:02 AM by Associated Press
Updated: Mar 14, 2010 7:02 AM
Many people with leaky heart valves soon might be able to get them fixed without open-heart surgery. Doctors say a study shows that a tiny clothespin device implanted through an artery is safer and nearly as good as surgery.
The study found that people treated with surgery had six times more serious complications within a month than those who got the valve clip made by Abbott Laboratories.
The device is already available in Europe, and Abbott hopes towin approval to sell it in the United States next year.