(New York, NY – February 24, 2009) David H. Adams, MD, Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Professor and Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, performed the first two implantations of the Carpentier-Edwards Physio II ring in the United States yesterday. Dr. Adams co-invented the ring, which was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration last month, with Alain F. Carpentier, MD PhD, Chairman Emeritus of Cardiovascular Surgery at the Hôptial Europeen Georges Pompidou in Paris.
"We have learned a lot since Professor Carpentier invented the original Physio ring, and we are optimistic that the changes we made in the Physio II ring will result in a higher quality of valve repair in patients suffering from mitral valve disease," said Dr. Adams.
The mitral valve lies between the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart. It prevents blood from leaking back into the left atrium during ejection (systole). Mitral valve regurgitation occurs when the valve does not close completely, and today the preferred treatment for such a condition is to repair the valve apparatus as opposed to replacing the valve with a metal or animal valve. Annuloplasty rings are specially designed to help restore the mitral valve to its normal size and shape (the valve is often enlarged or distorted in a diseased state.) If left untreated, mitral valve regurgitation can lead to debilitating symptoms including cardiac arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, and irreversible heart damage.
The new Carpentier-Edwards Physio II ring has many unique capabilities for mitral valve repair patients. "We can now use this ring to match the exact measurements and characteristics of a patient's mitral valve like never before," said Dr. Adams. The ring also features a sewing cuff that makes the device easier to implant.
About David H. Adams, MD
Dr. Adams is a world renowned leader in the field of heart valve surgery and mitral valve reconstruction. He directs the Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center, which is one of the largest valve repair programs in the United States. He is the co-inventor of 2 mitral valve annuloplasty repair rings (the Carpentier-McCarthy-Adams IMR ETlogix Ring and the Carpentier-Edwards Physio II Degenerative Ring). He is a co-author with Professor Carpentier of the upcoming textbook Carpentier's Valve Reconstruction. He is also the Co-Director of the annual American College of Cardiology/American Association for Thoracic Surgery Heart Valve Disease Summit.
Dr. Adams is a much sought after speaker both nationally and internationally, and has developed one of the world's largest video libraries of techniques in valve reconstruction at Mount Sinai. He is the author of over 200 publications, holds three patents, and is recognized as a leading surgeon scientist and medical expert, serving on the Editorial Boards of several medical journals, including the Annals of Thoracic Surgery and Cardiology. Additional information can be found at http://www.mitralvalverepair.org/.
Dr. Adams is a senior advisor and consultant to Edwards Lifesciences and receives compensation from the company for these services. As the co-inventor of the Carpentier-Edwards Physio II ring, Dr. Adams (and Mount Sinai School of Medicine) will receive royalties from Edwards Lifesciences in connection with the sale of this product.
About The Mount Sinai Medical Center
The Mount Sinai Medical Center encompasses The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The Mount Sinai Hospital is one of the nation's oldest, largest and most-respected voluntary hospitals. Founded in 1852, Mount Sinai today is a 1,171-bed tertiary-care teaching facility that is internationally acclaimed for excellence in clinical care. Last year, nearly 50,000 people were treated at Mount Sinai as inpatients, and there were nearly 450,000 outpatient visits to the Medical Center.
Mount Sinai School of Medicine is internationally recognized as a leader in groundbreaking clinical and basic-science research, as well as having an innovative approach to medical education. With a faculty of more than 3,400 in 38 clinical and basic science departments and centers, Mount Sinai ranks among the top 20 medical schools in receipt of National Institute of Health (NIH) grants.