KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysia’s National Heart Institute (IJN) became the first hospital in Asia to succeed in performing a new innovative heart valve treatment for patients suffering from tricuspid regurgitation or leaky heart valves.
IJN in a statement said the procedure was carried out on May 6 by its Heart Failure and Heart Transplant team and Cardiology Department.
The treatment called Tricvalve Transcatheter Bicaval Valves system (Bioprosthesis) or Tricvalve is a minimally invasive procedure that involves using a dry valve preloaded delivery system, said the statement.
“The Tricvalve system is specifically developed for patients who suffer from tricuspid valve regurgitation, particularly those who are unable to control their symptoms through other treatments and are deemed too high-risk for surgery,” said IJN.
The statement said the breakthrough device designated for Tricvalve and the bioprosthesis is used for patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation (leaky valves) with a high risk for open-heart surgery.
Tricuspid valve regurgitation is a condition where the leaflets of the tricuspid valve are unable to close properly, causing backflow of blood (or regurgitation) into the heart’s upper right chamber and in severe cases into the cava which if untreated, the condition can lead to heart failure, said IJN.
“Patients may experience symptoms such as fatigue, abnormal heart rhythms, shortness of breath, and swelling in the legs and abdomen. However, these signs often do not develop until the condition becomes severe,” said the statement.
IJN’s Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Consultant Cardiologist Clinical Director Dr Azmee Mohd Ghazi said not all patients are able to withstand the risks of surgery or may have other conditions that make them unsuitable for certain procedures.
“For such cases, it is important that we are able to offer a new innovative treatment like Tricvalve️ to help more patients alleviate their symptoms and improve their quality of life,” he said.
Meanwhile IJN’s Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Consultant Cardiologist Dr Aizai Azan Abdul Rahim expressed his gratitude to the IJN team for seeking out newer and more innovative methods of treatment.
“It’s no secret that IJN’s success has been built on the willingness of its staff to keep learning, exploring for new innovative treatments that can enhance patients’ quality of life, and pushing the boundaries to be able to treat more patients who are deemed unsuitable for surgeries,” he said.
