Medtronic, having received FDA and EU approval, has announced the global launch of the Contour 3D Ring for treatment of tricuspid regurg. Surgeons will be able to select the size and shape of the ring to suit the patient’s anatomy around the valve, ideally leading to less stress on the valve and resulting in better outcomes.
Tricuspid dilation is a progressive disease that eventually leads to severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR), which occurs when the tricuspid valve leaflets do not close properly, allowing blood to flow opposite of the intended direction. For patients with significant dilation of the tricuspid annulus (or opening), surgeons typically recommend surgical repair with an annuloplasty ring or band to restore the normal annular dimensions and normal leaflet closure, and to provide the necessary long-term support of the native annulus.
The Contour 3D Annuloplasty Ring – an extension of Medtronic’s remodeling contoured mitral annuloplasty ring (Profile 3D®) technology – is the only remodeling ring that matches the shape of a healthy tricuspid valve, as determined through computed tomography (CT) images from normal tricuspid valves. The Contour 3D Ring also was designed to avoid interference with the heart’s conduction system and to ensure that valve leaflets open and close effectively while preventing regurgitation.
Press release: Medtronic Announces Global Launch of New Heart Valve Repair Ring Designed to Adapt to Heart’s Natural Valve…