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Patient Story: Darrell Kempfert

February 21, 2024

Last summer, while working on his deck, Darrell began experiencing symptoms indicative of heart valve disease. He struggled to catch his breath. Yet, this wasn't merely a consequence of aging. Following a referral to the Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute, it was revealed that Darrell suffered from a heart murmur stemming from a leaky mitral valve. With a history of open-heart surgery, his multidisciplinary team at United Hospital in St. Paul, including Dr. Nishtha Sodhi, determined that a minimally invasive transcatheter procedure offered the most promising option. Upon receiving a technology to repair his leaky valve, Darrell experienced immediate relief and eagerly anticipated resuming his beloved activities: golfing, grilling, and playing pickleball!

Give the Gift of Hope

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The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation® (MHIF) strives to create a world without heart and vascular disease. To achieve this bold vision, we are dedicated to improving the cardiovascular health of individuals and communities through innovative research and education.

Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, we can continue this life-saving work. Please make a gift to support the area of greatest need.

Research Milestone: FDA approves device used as alternative to open-heart

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Triclip team

We are honored to celebrate the culmination of years of research that has resulted in new technologies for patients! In the few last weeks, we announced a similar research milestone with the FDA approval of the TriClip system for tricuspid regurgitation. We celebrated this important milestone with local media KSTP-TV, who spotlighted the importance of this new technology. We were proud to be a leading clinical site led by Global PI Dr. Paul Sorajja and the MHIF research team who contributed significant data to the pivotal trial.