On Dec. 11, 2019, Dennis Eggers became the first patient in a new clinical trial to receive a minimally invasive device that repaired his faulty heart valve – and without open-heart surgery. The compact device was inserted through a leg vein and placed inside a failing valve by a physician using a catheter that was controlled from outside the patientﾒs body.

The relatively simple procedure enabled Eggers to leave the hospital the following day. Open-heart surgery patients are typically hospitalized for at least a week.