BCH 1st in Colorado to Introduce Newest Technology for Leaky Heart Valve

Earlier this week (Sept. 3), Boulder Community Health (BCH) became the first facility in Colorado (full market release) to offer patients the newest technology to treat tricuspid regurgitation (TR), or a leaky heart valve, using a minimally-invasive catheter system. 

Experienced interventional cardiologist Srinivas Iyengar, MD and his Structural Heart & Valve team, including Molly Ware, MD, performed the milestone procedure - a Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER) - at Foothills Hospital’s cardiac catheterization lab with Abbott’s TriClip™ System. TriClip™ offers a remarkably safe, minimally invasive treatment option for patients in need of tricuspid valve repair but who are unable to withstand open-heart surgery.

Our TriClip™ launch is the fifth instance in less than two years that Dr. Iyengar, his team and BCH were the first in Colorado to debut the latest minimally invasive products and treatments.

The TriClip™ G4 Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair System is specifically designed for the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation on the right side of the heart. The first of its kind device, which received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 2, offers exceptional safety, maximized effectiveness and life-changing impact – all backed by strong clinical data.

BCH is also using the TriClip™ System in combination with 4D intracardiac echo (ICE), which provides the interventional cardiologist more advantageous, accurate imaging of the tricuspid valve during the procedure. 4D echo also offers a detailed view captured from inside of the heart.

Patients with TR often experience poor quality of life due to a heart failure diagnosis, and high-risk open-heart surgery may not be feasible for individuals who are generally older and sicker.

“Tricuspid regurgitation affects more than 1.5 million Americans and worsens with time,” says Dr. Iyengar – Boulder Heart’s Director of Structural Heart & Interventional Cardiology. “It’s an honor to know our team at BCH can play even a small part in helping our community and patients experience improved health-related quality of life.”

The tricuspid valve controls blood as it flows from the heart's right atrium to the right ventricle. TR occurs when the valve doesn't close properly, causing a leak and allowing blood to flow backward in the heart. TR can force the heart to work harder, causing debilitating symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath and fluid retention. When left untreated, TR can lead to atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and ultimately, death. For those who continue to have symptoms or persistent TR despite treatment with medical therapy and are not considered good candidates for surgery, TriClip™ now represents the best option, especially with a short hospital stay and recovery time.

As leaders in cardiovascular care, Dr. Iyengar’s integrated team of specialists at Foothills Hospital is continuously exploring the latest minimally invasive treatment options. BCH was at the forefront of transformation in Oct. 2022 when Dr. Iyengar and his Structural Heart team launched the Medtronic Evolut™ FX transcatheter aortic valve system – which at the time was the newest innovative technology available for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis patients across all risk categories. In Feb. 2024, BCH was the first hospital in Colorado to offer patients the newest technology in non-valvular atrial fibrillation - WATCHMAN FLX™ Pro Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) Device. Our team was also the first WATCHMAN program to utilize the complementary WATCHMAN TruSteer™ Access System – a specialized catheter that supports steering and a greater range of motion to position the WATCHMAN implant for more complicated anatomies. The TruSteer™ is a cutting-edge tool only used by a handful of health systems. Most recently in May 2024, BCH and Dr. Iyengar were the first again in Colorado and a four-state radius to offer the Evolut™ FX+ transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) system, a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgical aortic valve replacement.

About Dr. Iyengar

• Leader of the most experienced Structural Heart & Valve team in the northern Front Range, performing TAVR, WATCHMAN, MitraClip, TriClip and Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) procedures.
• A national proctor for TAVR & WATCHMAN procedures.
• A peer-reviewed author and active structural heart speaker at national academic conferences.
• The highest volume interventional cardiologist in Colorado implanting WATCHMAN – the only FDA-approved implant proven to reduce stroke risk in people with atrial fibrillation (AFIB) that is not caused by a heart valve problem. Dr. Iyengar also has a 100% success rate for WATCHMAN implantation.
• Dr. Iyengar and his team in the advanced Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Foothills Hospital use the latest technologies, including the Medtronic Evolut™ FX transcatheter aortic valve system and the WATCHMAN FLX™ Pro
• Fellowship-trained at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University, the first site to pioneer Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) in 2007.