Boston (SmartAboutHealth) - Abbott Laboratories has made history as they have proven that their MitraClip is as safe and effective as open-heart surgery in regards to repairing heart valves.

A study was carried out on this new MitraClip, which is a far less-invasive procedure than open-heart surgery which aims to repair heart valves that are leaking.

The condition is known as Mitral Valve Defect, and is usually treated with drugs as well as open-heart surgery.

The condition can lead to heart failure, and occurs when this valve in the heart does not close the right way.

This reverses the flow of blood in the heart and can lead to heart attack, stroke, and even death.

This new procedure using the MitraClip is done by using a catheter to insert it into a leg vessel, far less invasive than open-heart surgery.

The study carried out on the MitraClip consisted of 279 participants.

What researchers found was that overall, 9.6% of the patients who received the procedure with the MitraClip suffered a stroke, heart attack, or death within 30 days.

This compared to 57% of the patients who went through open-heart surgery.

What this has proven is that the MitraClip is a far less invasive, and far safer way to treat this heart condition.

The results were presented at the American College of Cardiology in Atlanta, Georgia.