New Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement Program Launches at Stony Brook Heart Institute

For the estimated 1.6 million Americans diagnosed with symptomatic tricuspid valve regurgitation each year, a significant advancement in treatment is now available on Long Island. With the launch of the new Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement (TTVR) Program at the Stony Brook Heart Institute (SBHI), patients at Stony Brook Medicine have access to groundbreaking, minimally invasive therapies.

The heart has four valves - aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid - thatcontrol the direction of blood flow. In tricuspid regurgitation, the tricuspid valve's flaps do not close tightly, allowing blood to leak backward in the heart. Mild cases may cause no symptoms, but others suffer from fatigue, pulsing neck veins, fluid buildup in the abdomen and legs, and irregular, sometimes dangerous,heartbeats. If left untreated, individuals with severe TR can experience heartfailure, blood clots, strokeand other organ damage.

In thehands of Stony Brook's tricuspid valve specialists, the FDA-approved TriClip™ device offersa revolutionary treatment option. Performed under general anesthesia and guided by advanced imaging, the procedure involves placing a catheterthrough a vein to the heart, where the TriClip™is precisely placed to bring valve flapstogether, reducing backward blood flow. Because the procedure is minimally invasiveand avoids open-heart surgery, most patients are up and walking within hours, discharged inoneto two days, and back to their regular livesin about a week. Clinical trials publishedin The New England Journal of Medicine demonstratedthat TriClip™ placement resulted in 87 percent of patientsexperiencing a significant reduction in tricuspid regurgitation, compared to less than 5 percent with medication use alone.

Ahmad Alkhalil, MD, MSc,director of mitral and tricuspid interventions at Stony Brook Heart Institute, who performed SBHI's first TTVR procedure, noted,"The tricuspid valve was formerly known as 'the forgotten valve'because surgical approaches were too riskyand no other treatments were effective for the majority ofpatients. With our full range of minimally invasive therapies, includingtricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) and tricuspid transcatheter valve replacement (TTVR), we are proud to be a leader in providingnew options forpatients on Long Island."

"We are proudto be at the forefront of bringing new treatment options for symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation," said Allison McLarty, MD, interim chief, cardiothoracic surgery, Stony Brook Heart Institute, and professor of surgery, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. "Our skilled and dedicated physicians are continuously exploring new and innovative approaches to improve outcomes and the patient experienceofpeoplewith valve disease."

"Effective treatment begins with a precise diagnosis. Patients at Stony Brook Heart Institute benefitfrom a full suite of advanced imaging technologies, including 3D transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography (TTE and TEE), cardiac MRI, CT angiography, nuclear stress testing and carotid ultrasound. Thesetools allow SBHI's specialists to map each patient's unique valve anatomy and tailor treatment to their needs," added Smadar Kort, MD, co-director of the valve program and director of non-invasive imaging at Stony BrookHeart Institute. "With multiple advanced imaging and procedural locations across Suffolk County, including Stony Brook, Commack and Riverhead, the Heart Institute ensures patients receive top-tiercare close to home."

"At the core of Stony Brook Heart Institute'sTTVR program is a multidisciplinary team of interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, imaging specialists and advance practicepractitioners who collaborate closely to ensure every patient receives seamless, compassionate care," said Hal Skopicki, MD, PhD, co-director of Stony Brook Heart Instituteand the Ambassador Charles A. Gargano Chair of Cardiology, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. "As an academic medical center actively participating in national and international clinical trials, we provide patients with access to emerging valve devices and interventions not yet widely available - offering many the opportunity to avoid open-heart surgery and benefit from the most cutting-edge, patient-centered cardiovascular care available today."

To contact the Stony Brook Heart Institute, call631-44HEART or visit heart.stonybrookmedicine.edu.

Related Posts

• Stony Brook Heart Institute Launches New Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement Program
• Brook Con Animates Stony Brook
• Stony Brook University Launches AI Innovation Institute