The teams of Interventional Cardiology and Cardiac Imaging from Hospital da Luz Lisboa successfully performed, on May 31 and July 19 this year, the first interventions to the tricuspid valve by catheterization – referred to as tricuspid clip. Hospital da Luz Lisboa is the first private unit in Portugal to apply this innovative non-surgical procedure, for the treatment of patients with a severe insufficiency in the tricuspid valve, one of the most common heart diseases. Hospital da Luz Lisboa is already, presently, the private hospital unit with the highest volume of aortic valve interventions (non surgical), and also with experience in interventions on the mitral valve. In the case of severe insufficiency of the tricuspid valve, patients often present multiple associated diseases and quite frequently they cannot be treated through conventional surgery, considering the high risk involved. The intervention to the tricuspid valve by catheterization, where Hospital da Luz Lisboa is now pioneer, presents therefore multiple advantages: It is a non surgical treatment, although applied under general anaesthesia, in the catheterization room; It is done by inserting catheters via femoral vein, a procedure technically involving low risk; It is a safe intervention, almost entirely guided by ultrasound imaging (transesophageal echocardiogram); The patient is generally released from hospital within 48 hours; It can bring significant improvement of life quality and have an impact on survival. The procedures already performed since May at Hospital da Luz Lisboa were successful and without complications. The patients in question took, in the meanwhile, control echocardiograms and follow-up consultations, revealing a significant improvement of their overall clinical situation and a very positive impact on their quality of life.
