The structural heart disease team at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC) has successfully performed their first procedures repairing patients’ tricuspid heart valves, utilizing novel devices TriClip™ transcatheter edge-to-edge repair system (TEER) or the EVOQUE transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement system (TTVR).
Treatment for leaking tricuspid valves, known as tricuspid regurgitation (TR), has previously been limited to medication therapy or open-heart surgery, depending on the severity of regurgitation.
One patient who received TriClip is Bonnie Smith, 69, of Spring Lake Heights. “I’m thrilled I was able to receive this minimally invasive procedure and device at my family’s local hospital [at the] Jersey Shore,” said Smith. “I didn’t have a long stay at the medical center, and I’m already feeling like a new person.”
“Bonnie was experiencing the common, exceedingly debilitating symptoms of a leaking tricuspid heart valve — shortness of breath, swelling and fatigue,” said Matthew Saybolt, M.D., FACC, medical director, Structural Heart Disease Program, JSUMC. When left untreated, TR may progress into conditions such as atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure and ultimately death. Saybolt added, “Fortunately, she was a good candidate for TriClip and now has a much better quality of life, and avoids worsening heart conditions that would endanger her health.”
TR is a condition in which the valve between the two right heart chambers (right ventricle and right atrium) doesn’t close properly, allowing blood to flow backward into the right atrium of the heart. Traditionally, the only treatment options for TR have been surgery, which is rarely performed due to the complexity of the procedure and high risks involved, and medical therapy, which is usually unsuccessful in reducing TR. The new devices provide a much-needed treatment option for people suffering from this condition.
“As one of New Jersey’s leading providers of cardiovascular care, I’m extremely happy that we are able to provide our community with the latest, most advanced heart care techniques from world-class experts,” said Vito Buccellato, MPA, LNHA, president and chief hospital executive, JSUMC.
The repair systems are delivered minimally invasively to the heart via a catheter inserted through the femoral vein in the leg. Designed specifically for the right side of the heart and the tricuspid valve’s complex anatomy, this minimally invasive approach allows the heart to pump blood more efficiently and relieve symptoms of TR, which improves the quality of life for patients.
Hackensack Meridian’s comprehensive cardiovascular services leader in northern New Jersey, the Hackensack University Medical Center – Structural and Congenital Heart team, participated in TriClip and EVOQUE device trials. As a result, they were early adopters of the procedures.
“Leading-edge structural, interventional and diagnostic heart and vascular procedures are now provided in Jersey Shore’s new technologically advanced cardiovascular services suite, which opened this past December,” said Kenneth N. Sable, M.D., MBA, FACEP, regional president, Southern Market, Hackensack Meridian Health. “It’s an ideal practice space for our expert cardiologists, nurses and other staff, and a centralized, convenient environment for our patients and their families.”
The $45 million suite features four dedicated cardiac catheterization labs, four electrophysiology (EP) labs, two hybrid operating rooms, a radial lounge, and a 28-bay patient prep and recovery and short stay area, nearly tripling Jersey Shore’s former cardiovascular patient capacity.
