A highly anticipated addition to Abbott’s structural heart portfolio is poised to open new avenues of treatment for a large, historically underserved U.S. population.
Abbott’s TriClip G4 transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) system, a first-of-its kind repair device for treating tricuspid regurgitation (TR) caused by a leaky tricuspid valve, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The tricuspid valve is crucial, allowing blood to move from the heart to the lungs. And if this valve doesn’t seal fully when it closes, some of the blood will flow backward within the heart instead of moving forward to the lungs. This can force the heart to work harder and cause a range of debilitating symptoms. When left untreated, TR can lead to atrial fibrillation, heart failure and, ultimately, death.
Prior to the TriClip system, many people with TR—a cohort of more than 1.6 million in the U.S. and many millions more worldwide—faced a dearth of treatment options. Some people’s symptoms persist despite optimal medical therapy, and high-risk open-heart surgery isn’t always feasible for individuals with TR who are generally older and sicker.
TriClip, which is delivered through a vein in the leg, is a minimally invasive way to repair the tricuspid valve and can improve quality of life for people who would otherwise remain untreated. Typically people who receive TriClip therapy require only a short hospital stay.
A Global Leader
Although just approved in the U.S., TriClip has been used in more than 50 countries since its initial CE Mark approval in 2020. To date, the device has been implanted in more than 10,000 people with TR worldwide.
TriClip leverages the same clip-based technology as Abbott’s industry-leading MitraClip device, which in the past 20 years has treated more than 200,000 people with mitral regurgitation (leaky mitral valves).
In time, perhaps TriClip will improve as many—if not more—lives around the world.
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