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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Tricuspid valve repair finally delivers on hard outcomes. The TRIC-I-HF trial showed that transcatheter tricuspid valve repair slashed all-cause death and heart failure hospitalizations by 60% compared to medical therapy alone over 3 years. With a number needed to treat of just four patients, experts are calling it a landmark result that could reshape how severe tricuspid regurgitation is managed.
Tricuspid valve repair finally delivers on hard outcomes
For years, tricuspid valve repair trials showed quality-of-life improvements — but now, the landmark TRIC-I-HF trial has proven the intervention can also reduce deaths and hospitalizations. Presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the trial found that transcatheter tricuspid valve repair was dramatically superior to medical therapy alone in patients with symptomatic severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and heart failure (HF).
The trial enrolled 360 patients (mean age 80.3, 56% women) across 29 high-volume centers in Germany, randomized 2:1 to repair or medical therapy. Benefits emerged early — around 1.6 years on average — and continued to widen over time, with researchers crediting experienced operators and a sicker patient population for the stronger-than-expected results.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: This is the first randomized trial to show tricuspid valve repair improves hard clinical endpoints — not just quality of life — in severe TR. With a compelling NNT of 4, these findings are expected to strengthen guideline recommendations and expand access to this therapy for the growing population of elderly patients with this often-overlooked condition.
