Medtronic has announced today the launch of the Tri-Ad Semi-Flexible Annuloplasty Ring for surgical treatment of tricuspid regurgitation in patients of annular (atrial) dilatation. The device was initially developed by Dr. David H. Adams, Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center.
The Tri-Ad Semi-Flexible Tricuspid Annuloplasty Ring, acquired when Medtronic purchased ATS Medical, Inc., is an implantable annular ring that is part flexible and part semi-rigid. It is designed to correct the dilated and leaking portion of the valve, thereby preserving the natural motion of the heart as it beats. It received CE (Conformité Européenne) Mark and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance in July 2010.
David Fullerton, M.D., of the University of Denver in Colorado, who implanted one of the first Tri-Ad rings said, “The Tri-Ad tricuspid valve ring is a significant advance in the treatment of tricuspid valve disease. Its unique design re-establishes the normal anatomy of the tricuspid valve annulus. The ring is stiff in exactly the proper position, and the flexible segments distinguish the ring from any of the available tricuspid rings. It will change the way therapy is delivered to the tricuspid valve.”
Press release: Medtronic Announces Global Launch of New Heart Valve Repair Ring…
More about the ring from Mount Sinai Medical Center, where the device was invented…
