What is Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation?
Tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) is a common type of heart valve disease where the valve doesn’t close correctly, causing the blood to flow backward through the valve and back into the heart's upper right chamber. The condition causes the heart to have to work harder and can show symptoms such as:
- Extreme fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Feelings of a pounding, fast-beating heart
- Swelling in the legs, abdomen or neck
How is TriClip Used During Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Repair?
The TriClip G4 System is the first-of-its-kind Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge repair device for treating tricuspid regurgitation (TR) caused by a leaky tricuspid valve. This minimally invasive device was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2024.
The TriClip device leverages the same clip-based technology as the MitraClip™ device, which in the past 20 years has treated more than 200,000 people with mitral regurgitation (leaky mitral valves). It is a small device that clips two or more of the valves of the tricuspid – located on the right side of the heart. This device helps reduce regurgitation and restore blood flow.
What are the Benefits of the TriClip System?
The TriClip procedure is performed via a catheter in a vein in the leg, offering a minimally invasive way to repair the tricuspid valve and improve the overall quality of life for patients. It has already successfully treated more than 10,000 patients with tricuspid valve regurgitation.
During the FDA approval process, a study showed that 90% of patients who received the TriClip system experienced a marked improvement in their TR grade, reducing from severe or higher to moderate or less within 30 days. It also demonstrated a highly favorable safety profile, with 98% of patients being free of major adverse events through 30 days.
Other benefits include:
- An overall improved quality of life
- Faster recovery times and shorter hospital stays, often going home the following day
- No need for a computed tomography (CT) scan before the procedure