02/03/2026
For patients with severe tricuspid valve disease, everyday life can slowly become smaller. Walking across the room can leave them short of breath. Swelling in the legs makes simple activities exhausting. Many are told open-heart surgery isn’t an option — and that there’s little else that can be done.
Now, that’s changing.
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist has completed the first minimally invasive tricuspid valve replacement in the Triad, using a catheter-based approach that restores proper blood flow and helps patients feel the difference quickly.
“When the valve begins working the way it should, patients often regain energy, mobility and a sense of independence they may have lost,” said Dr. David Zhao, chair of cardiovascular medicine at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.
This milestone — a first in the Triad — reflects a new chapter for patients who once had limited choices and the team committed to giving them more.
Learn what this first‑of‑its‑kind procedure could mean for patients and families: https://bit.ly/3NCMNij