India's First Tricuspid TEER Procedure Marks a New Era in Heart Care

Groundbreaking Tricuspid TEER Procedure Offers New Hope for Rare Tricuspid Valve Barlow’s Disease. Image caption: Elderly patient with severe heart valve leakage successfully treated with a dedicated tricuspid TEER device- without open-heart surgery. India, 24 September 2026: An elderly patient diagnosed with rare Tricuspid Valve Barlow’s Disease—a condition that resulted in significant leakage of the heart’s tricuspid valve—has been successfully treated using a dedicated tricuspid TEER (Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair) device, avoiding the need for open-heart surgery. This medical milestone is believed to be the first reported case in the country of Tricuspid TEER being used to treat primary tricuspid regurgitation caused by tricuspid valve prolapse associated with Barlow’s Disease.

The procedure was performed by interventional structural cardiologist Dr. Ravinder Singh Rao, alongside Dr. Kailash Chandra, Dr. Prashant Varshney and their team. The patient had been dealing with symptoms for approximately six months. The rare condition had led to severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR), causing a substantial volume of blood to leak backward with every heartbeat.

Barlow’s Disease is a rare condition in which the valve tissue becomes thickened, enlarged and unusually floppy. As the heart beats, the valve leaflets may bulge or "prolapse" backward rather than sealing correctly. In this patient, the irregular valve anatomy resulted in severe tricuspid regurgitation. Over time, severe TR can lead to swelling of the legs and abdomen, fatigue, loss of appetite and fluid accumulation, and may impact organs such as the liver and kidneys.

Rather than opting for conventional open-heart surgery, the medical team accessed the heart via a thin catheter guided through a blood vessel. By utilizing advanced 3-D echocardiography, the specialists were able to precisely identify the abnormal, prolapsing valve tissue. Two clips from the dedicated tricuspid TEER device were then deployed to bring the valve leaflets closer together and enhance their sealing function.

According to the treating team, the intervention reduced the valve leakage by more than 90%. The patient was extubated while still in the operating room, remained in intensive care for one day, and was up and moving by the following day.

"Tricuspid valve disease can be challenging to treat, particularly when the valve anatomy is complex. In this patient, the severity of the leakage and the valve structure required careful assessment and precise treatment. The successful outcome shows how catheter-based approaches can help us treat selected patients who may otherwise have limited options" said Dr. Ravinder Singh Rao.

Managing Tricuspid Valve Barlow’s Disease can be particularly difficult due to the unusual anatomy and excessive, floppy valve tissue. For specific patients who might face significant risks from traditional surgery, Tricuspid TEER could provide a less invasive treatment option.