Blake Ferguson, a patient who recently received the EVOQUE procedure, is pictured with Dr. Neil Fam.

St. Michael’s Hospital heart specialists have performed the first commercial EVOQUE tricuspid valve replacement procedure in Canada, allowing for the effective treatment of leaking tricuspid valves and faster recovery times.

Previously, the EVOQUE procedure was only available to patients via clinical trials or Health Canada’s Special Access Program. However, with recent Health Canada approval, it is now commercially available, meaning that it can be offered to any patient who meets the eligibility criteria. St. Michael’s is one of just three hospitals in Canada that offers EVOQUE. 

“Having the EVOQUE valve available off the shelf means better access for our patients suffering from tricuspid regurgitation and heart failure, with shorter wait times,” said Dr. Neil Fam, director of the structural heart program at St. Michaels. “EVOQUE is a breakthrough technology that is now available to our patients that need it most.”

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Blake Ferguson, a 72-year-old patient, recently had the EVOQUE procedure at St. Michael’s. Ferguson had a heart transplant 10 years ago, then later developed tricuspid regurgitation. As he wasn’t responding to medical treatment, he was a good candidate for EVOQUE, said Dr. Fam, Walter and Maria Schroeder Term Chair in Structural and Valve Innovation.

Now, post-procedure, Ferguson is recovering well. “My condition is improving every day and I’m grateful that I’ve been given another chance at life,” he said.

During the procedure, the tricuspid valve is replaced via a catheter in the femoral vein—a large blood vessel in the patient’s thigh. This minimally-invasive approach to treating severe tricuspid regurgitation avoids open-heart surgery, resulting in shorter hospital stays and faster patient recovery.

Drs. Neil Fam, Sami Alnasser, Gianluigi Bisleri, and Kendra Derry performing the EVOQUE procedure.

Gallery

The world’s first EVOQUE tricuspid valve replacement happened at St. Michael’s in 2019 after Dr. Fam and his team pioneered the minimally invasive catheter-based approach. The procedure has continued to become more widely available in the U.S. and Europe due to successful trials and the development of additional valve sizes.

“Our Heart, Lung and Vascular Program strives to be a leader in structural heart interventions,” said Medical Director Dr. Howard Leong-Poi. “The commercial availability of the EVOQUE tricuspid valve provides us with yet another excellent option to help our patients who suffer from severe tricuspid regurgitation and heart failure, improving their symptoms and preventing them from requiring hospital admission.”

By Lois Lee

Photos by Katie Cooper

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