Catheter Heart Procedures Show High Success Rates
Adults with atrial fibrillation or severe tricuspid valve disease may have new catheter-based options to discuss with their cardiologist.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Heart Disease
Results from two trials presented at TCT 2026 reported high rates of complete left atrial appendage closure with the Amulet 360 device and found that transjugular tricuspid valve replacement improved outcomes in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation. The findings are most relevant to people with atrial fibrillation at increased stroke risk and to patients with symptomatic, severe tricuspid valve disease.
Why it matters
Left atrial appendage closure is considered as an option for people with atrial fibrillation who need an alternative to long-term blood thinners, so device performance data at one year helps clinicians and patients weigh that choice. The tricuspid results add evidence for a catheter-based option in a valve condition that has historically had fewer treatment choices.
VERITAS enrolled 458 patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at increased thromboembolism risk and tracked them for one year after Amulet 360 left atrial appendage closure. TRAVEL III randomized 126 patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation and advanced heart failure symptoms to transjugular valve replacement plus optimal medical therapy or optimal medical therapy alone.
The players
Amulet 360 device
A left atrial appendage occluder used to close the appendage in people with atrial fibrillation as an alternative to long-term blood thinners.
LuX-Valve Plus system
A transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement system used to treat severe tricuspid regurgitation through a catheter inserted in the jugular vein.
The details
Left atrial appendage closure uses a device placed in the heart to seal off the left atrial appendage, a small pouch where clots can form in atrial fibrillation. Closure was assessed by transesophageal echocardiography, an ultrasound imaging test passed through the esophagus. In TRAVEL III, the LuX-Valve Plus system was delivered through the jugular vein in the neck to replace the leaking tricuspid valve, while the comparison group continued medication alone.
Timeline
One year after the procedure, VERITAS assessed complete appendage closure.
At 30 days, TRAVEL III assessed its primary safety outcome.
At six months, TRAVEL III assessed its primary efficacy outcome.
Health Landscape
Left atrial appendage closure has been studied as a way to reduce stroke risk without lifelong anticoagulation, and the VERITAS one-year data add device-specific evidence to that field. Transjugular tricuspid valve replacement offers a catheter-based alternative in a valve disease where medical therapy alone has limited durable effect.
Adults with atrial fibrillation who are deciding how to manage stroke risk may want to ask a cardiologist whether appendage closure is a reasonable option alongside blood thinners. People with symptomatic, severe tricuspid regurgitation may wish to discuss whether a catheter-based valve procedure is worth considering with their heart team.
The takeaway
Catheter-based heart procedures are expanding options for people who cannot or prefer not to rely on long-term blood thinners or medication alone. Anyone with atrial fibrillation or valve symptoms should raise these options with their physician.
Further reading
For background on the conditions involved, explore our Heart Disease coverage.
