Two other SMH surgeons also perform procedures involving the implanting of new stroke-prevention device in separate patients
Sarasota Memorial Hospital heart surgeon Dr. Jonathan Hoffberger, DO, “has performed the world’s first heart procedure combining two new cardiac implants from Edwards Lifesciences to replace a failing tricuspid valve and reduce stroke risk associated with atrial fibrillation (Afib),” SMH announced on Oct. 13.
Edwards Lifesciences reports that the “milestone procedure marks the first time its Triformis Resilia tricuspid valve and Ecliptis left atrial appendage (LAA) exclusion system have been implanted together in the same patient anywhere in the world,” an SMH news release points out.
“Patients who need heart valve surgery often have other cardiovascular conditions that increase their risk of complications,” said Hoffberger, chief of cardiovascular surgery at SMH, in the release. “By combining these two devices in a single operation, we were able to replace a diseased heart valve while also addressing a significant source of stroke risk, without requiring separate surgeries,” he added.
“The two new devices address separate but potentially serious heart conditions,” the release explains. The Triformis Resilia, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May, “is the first and only surgical implant designed specifically for replacing native or prosthetic heart valves,” the release adds. “Surgeons previously used mitral valves for tricuspid valve replacement because there were no surgical replacement tricuspid valves approved for use,” the release says. Unlike the other valves, the release continues, the Triformis Resilia “is engineered to accommodate the unique anatomy of the tricuspid valve. It also incorporates advanced tissue technology designed to resist calcium buildup, a major contributor to deterioration of replacement heart valves.”
The release adds that the other new device, the Ecliptis system, has been “designed to close the left atrial appendage, a small pouch in the upper left chamber of the heart. In patients with AFib, an irregular heart rhythm that affects millions of Americans, blood can collect in this pouch and form clots that may travel to the brain and cause a stroke.” Then the release explains, “Cleared by the FDA in June 2026, the Ecliptis device is one of several new and evolving LAA closure systems that are increasingly becoming part of cardiac procedures.”
Hoffberger is one of three cardiothoracic surgeons with Sarasota Memorial’s First Physicians Group (FPG) who introduced the latest cardiac devices at Sarasota Memorial Hospital this month, the release adds. On the same day that Hoffberger performed the milestone procedure, the release continues, his fellow FPG heart surgeons Dr. Jeffrey Sell and Dr. Kristen Walker also performed combined cardiac procedures, “implanting Edwards’ new stroke-prevention device in two additional patients undergoing heart surgery.
“The milestone reflects Sarasota Memorial’s continued investment in advanced cardiac care and multidisciplinary approach to treating patients with complex cardiovascular conditions,” the release points out. “The health system’s comprehensive cardiac program brings together cardiac surgeons, interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists and other cardiovascular specialists to provide a wide range of treatments, from traditional, robotic and minimally invasive heart surgery to advanced valve replacement and repairs, and other advanced interventions and therapies for complex heart conditions,” the release notes.