Intermountain St. George Regional Achieves Medical Milestone with Region’s First Cardiac Procedure

June 11, 2025 at 17:10 PM EDT

Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital Achieves Medical Milestone with Region's First Cardiac Procedure, Bringing World-Class Heart Care to Southern Utah

(PRUnderground) June 11th, 2025

Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in cardiovascular medicine, successfully performing the first transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement in the Southern Utah region.

This minimally invasive procedure replaces a patient’s damaged or malfunctioning tricuspid valve with a new one using a catheter inserted through a blood vessel. This new procedure offers new hope for patients suffering from severe tricuspid regurgitation.

The pioneering procedure was performed by Blake Gardner, MD, interventional cardiologist at Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital and senior medical director for the cardiovascular clinical program for Intermountain Health.

Dr. Gardner has now performed two of the procedures and says the experience provides new hope for heart patients in Southern Utah and throughout the region.

Adding the new procedure for heart patients underscores the hospital’s commitment to providing cutting-edge medical advancements and expanding access to specialized cardiac services for the communities it serves, Dr. Gardner says.

“We are incredibly proud to be at the forefront of cardiac innovation in Southern Utah,” said Dr. Gardner. “The successful completion of the first transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement at Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital represents a significant leap forward in our ability to treat complex heart conditions. This procedure offers a vital new option for patients who may not be candidates for traditional open-heart surgery, allowing them to receive advanced, life-changing care right here in our community.”

Traditionally, surgical replacement of the tricuspid valve has been a complex open-heart procedure. Transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement offers a less invasive alternative, performed by threading a catheter through a vein, typically in the leg, to deliver and implant a new valve within the heart.

This approach can lead to shorter hospital stays, faster recovery times, and reduced risks for eligible patients, said Dr. Gardner.

Tricuspid regurgitation occurs when the tricuspid valve, which separates the heart’s right atrium and right ventricle, fails to close properly, causing blood to leak backward. If severe, it can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, swelling in the legs and abdomen, and shortness of breath, significantly impacting a patient’s quality of life.

“This milestone procedure is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our entire cardiac team at Intermountain St. George Hospital,” said Natalie Ashby, president of Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital. “Our advanced technology and highly skilled cardiac caregivers ensure that patients in Southern Utah have access to the most innovative and effective heart treatments available, comparable to those found in leading cardiac centers nationwide.”

Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital continues to solidify its position as a regional leader in cardiovascular care, offering a comprehensive range of services from diagnostics and prevention to advanced interventional procedures and cardiac rehabilitation.

The introduction of transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement further enhances its capabilities, providing hope and improved outcomes for a growing number of patients with complex heart conditions.

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, approximately 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.

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