Neovasc Announces First-in-Human Implantation of Tiara Transcatheter Mitral Valve

February 3, 2014—Neovasc Inc. (Vancouver, BC, Canada) announced that the first-in-human implantation of the self-expanding Tiara transcatheter mitral valve was performed on January 30 at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The self-expanding Tiara mitral bioprosthesis is designed to treat mitral valve regurgitation (MR).

The company reported that the transapical procedure resulted in the elimination of MR and significantly improved heart function in the patient without the need for cardiac bypass support and with no procedural complications.

Anson Cheung, MD, and John Webb, MD, conducted the procedure. Dr. Webb is Director of Interventional Cardiology and Dr. Cheung is Professor of Surgery and Director of Cardiac Transplant at St. Paul’s Hospital. They were supported by Stefan Verheye, MD, Senior Interventional Cardiologist at the Antwerp Cardiovascular Center/ZNA Middelheim in Antwerp, Belgium, and Shmuel Banai, MD, Medical Director of Neovasc and Director of Interventional Cardiology at Tel Aviv Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel.

In Neovasc’s press release, Dr. Cheung commented, “This 73-year-old male patient had severe functional mitral regurgitation and was considered an extremely high risk candidate for conventional valve repair or replacement surgery. The transapical implantation of the Tiara valve was completed quickly and without complications. It resulted in a well-functioning bioprosthetic valve with no significant paravalvular leak or residual MR.”

Dr. Cheung added, “We are very pleased that this first implantation went so smoothly and that the patient’s outcome to date is so positive. His recovery has been uneventful, and we will continue to follow him closely over the coming months. The ability to implant a prosthetic mitral heart valve using a transcatheter, minimally invasive approach instead of conventional open-chest, open heart surgery would provide a much-needed alternative for the many patients who are considered at high risk for conventional surgery.”