Minimally invasive treatment expands options for patients with severe heart valve leakage in Florida
October 28, 2026 – Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) has performed the nation’s first tricuspid valve repair using Edwards Lifesciences’ PASCAL Precision system following U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for this use. The procedure expands treatment options at the NCH Rooney Heart Institute, which treats more patients with tricuspid regurgitation than any other center in Florida. Robert Cubeddu, MD, led the procedure following Edwards’ announcement of FDA approval for the system’s use in tricuspid valve repair.
The milestone builds on NCH’s role as the nation’s highest-enrolling clinical trial site for the treatment before FDA approval. Through that research, the NCH Rooney Heart Institute helped evaluate the therapy while giving participating patients in Southwest Florida access to an investigational treatment for tricuspid valve disease.
Tricuspid regurgitation occurs when the valve on the right side of the heart does not close properly, allowing blood to flow backward. Patients with severe disease may experience fatigue, shortness of breath and swelling that can make everyday activities increasingly difficult.
“For patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation, even simple activities can become exhausting,” said Robert Cubeddu, MD, Brynne and Bob Coletti Endowed Chair and President of the NCH Rooney Heart Institute. “Having another minimally invasive treatment option allows us to better tailor care to each patient’s needs, with the goal of helping them feel better and participate more fully in daily life. This milestone is only possible because of the extraordinary expertise and dedication of our multidisciplinary team.”
The PASCAL Precision system allows physicians to repair the valve through a catheter-based procedure without open-heart surgery. The approach, known as transcatheter edge-to-edge repair, brings portions of the valve’s leaflets together to help reduce leakage.
The system is approved to improve quality of life and functional status in patients who continue to experience symptoms of severe tricuspid regurgitation despite optimal medical therapy. Eligible patients must be considered at intermediate or greater risk for surgery and evaluated by a multidisciplinary heart team to determine whether the procedure is appropriate.
“Helping evaluate a treatment through clinical research and then performing the nation’s first procedure following FDA approval speaks to the expertise of our Rooney Heart Institute team,” said Paul Hiltz, President and CEO of NCH. “For patients in Florida, it means access to a team with experience in this therapy and a health system helping advance the options available to people with serious heart valve disease.”
NCH’s experience in tricuspid valve care also includes performing Florida’s first percutaneous tricuspid valve replacement, a separate catheter-based procedure to replace the valve rather than repair it. The addition of PASCAL tricuspid valve repair expands the NCH Rooney Heart Institute’s treatment options for structural heart disease. Patients considering treatment undergo an individualized evaluation to assess their valve anatomy, symptoms, overall health and available care options.
For more information about cardiovascular care at NCH, visit nchmd.org.
ABOUT NCH
NCH (Naples Comprehensive Health) is an Advanced Community Healthcare System™ serving Southwest Florida with premier routine, critical, and specialty care. NCH, a locally governed non-profit, is recognized as one of Healthgrades America’s Top 50 Hospitals which puts it in the top 1% in the nation for clinical excellence, in addition to being named a Top 50 Hospital for Surgical Care. The system is more than just two hospitals (referred to as the NCH Baker Hospital and NCH North Hospital) with more than 700 beds – NCH is an alliance of over 750 physicians and medical facilities in dozens of locations throughout Southwest Florida and is the region’s only Joint Commission accredited Comprehensive Stroke Center. NCH cardiac care is ranked top three in the state by Healthgrades. NCH collaborates with the Hospital for Special Surgery for orthopedics, Northwestern Medicine for oncology, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital for pediatrics, and ProScan Imaging for radiology services, ensuring top-tier medical care is available in Southwest Florida. With the largest provider network, urgent/immediate care centers, diagnostic facilities, and two hospitals, NCH is always advancing the quality of care near you. For more information, visit www.NCHmd.org.
