Minimally invasive tricuspid valve treatment (TriClip™)
This minimally invasive technique enables leaking tricuspid valves to be treated via the femoral artery. It is used for patients who cannot be considered for traditional heart surgery.
UZ Brussel’s Centre for Cardiovascular Diseases is one of the approved centres in Belgium where the TriClip procedure may be performed.
Before treatment
- The treatment and potential associated risks will be discussed in advance with you and your family.
- You will be admitted for a number of preliminary examinations to check the feasibility of the procedure and the size of the heart valve. A group of specialists, the heart team, carefully discusses the results and determines whether or not this procedure is suitable for you. The examinations may include:
- Some medications will need to be stopped temporarily. This will be discussed in detail with the treating clinician prior to the treatment.
- In certain cases, you will be admitted a few days before the treatment for an additional diuretic treatment.
- You must be fasting at the time of your admission.
The treatment
- You are fully anaesthetised.
- A special catheter is inserted via your femoral artery up to the regurgitating valve.
- Two leaflets of the valve are clipped together, which reduces most of the backflow of blood, or even stops is completely.
- You will usually be hospitalised for 3 to 7 days.
After treatment
For 3 days after the procedure, you may not take a bath, lift heavy objects or ride a bicycle. You can take showers. This is so that the place where the catheter has been inserted into your artery can heal properly.
No reimbursement
At this point in time, TriClip™ procedures are very expensive and are not reimbursed by Social Security. However, UZ Brussel makes funds available from its Innovation Fund to ensure that they are affordable. People requiring this procedure pay only the cost of hospitalisation.