New way to plug a leak

Life-saving procedure: Dr Azmee (left) and Dr Aizai say that the non-invasive surgery to fix the valve problem could reduce the mortality rate in high risk patients.

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Heart Institute has become Asia’s first hospital to successfully perform a non-invasive surgery to fix a right heart leaky valve or what is medically termed as ‘tricuspid regurgitation’.

The TricValve Transcatheter Bicaval Valves system involves a minimally invasive procedure that places a dry stent valve to fix the problem, similar to how a coronary angiogram is carried out through the right groin.