VA Palo Alto Health Care says its structural heart team has just achieved a national first, performing the Veterans Health Administration's inaugural transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR). The minimally invasive procedure used a catheter to replace a severely leaking tricuspid valve in a Veteran, avoiding open-heart surgery entirely. Hospital officials report the patient is recovering well and is already noticing relief from previous symptoms.
How The Procedure Was Done
The case used the Edwards EVOQUE TTVR system. It was led by interventional cardiologist Dr. Guson Kang and interventional echocardiography specialist Dr. Neha Mantri, according to VA Palo Alto Health Care. A multidisciplinary team of heart doctors, surgeons, imaging specialists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals accessed the tricuspid valve through a vein, then guided the replacement valve into position using a thin catheter, rather than opening the chest. VA Palo Alto wrote that the successful operation shows the system can expand treatment options for Veterans living with severe tricuspid regurgitation.
About The EVOQUE Device
Edwards Lifesciences’ EVOQUE system is a self-expanding, catheter-delivered tricuspid valve that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared in February 2024, and the company has described how the device works in its public materials. Pivotal trial data presented in professional forums and company documentation showed substantial reductions in regurgitation along with meaningful improvements in symptoms and quality of life for patients who received the device. Delivered transfemorally, the EVOQUE valve expands in place to restore valve function without the risks that come with open-heart surgery, giving high-risk patients a less invasive option.
Why This Matters For Veterans
Tricuspid regurgitation affects an estimated 1.6 million Americans. It often goes undertreated because many patients are older or have other health conditions that make surgical valve replacement risky, according to a recent clinical review (MDPI). For Veterans, who may face additional service-related or age-related health burdens, a catheter-based replacement such as TTVR could open the door to definitive treatment while cutting down on procedural risk and recovery time compared with traditional surgery.
“This is a big step forward in heart care for Veterans,” Dr. Guson Kang said, noting that newer tools like the EVOQUE system can reach patients who once had very limited choices. VA Palo Alto also urged Veterans who want to know whether they might qualify to talk with their cardiologist or contact the facility's Structural Heart Program, according to VA Palo Alto Health Care. The hospital credited a multidisciplinary team for bringing the case the a successful conclusion.
What’s Next
VA Palo Alto's milestone could accelerate the wider adoption of TTVR across the Veterans Health Administration as more facilities expand their structural heart programs. Since the device received FDA clearance, several U.S. hospitals have started offering EVOQUE to selected patients, and Edwards has highlighted trial data showing improved symptoms and reductions in severe regurgitation, according to Edwards Lifesciences. Early adopters, such as Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey, have already reported treating their first patient with EVOQUE after approval, demonstrating how the therapy is transitioning from trial settings into everyday clinical practice.
