The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) Transcatheter Valve Therapy (TVT) Registry is a national program that monitors patient safety and real-world outcomes following catheter-based heart valve procedures. For patients undergoing transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR)—a procedure that implants a new tissue valve to treat significant tricuspid regurgitation—the registry helps evaluate procedural safety and the performance of replacement valves in everyday clinical practice.
Participating hospitals submit standardized information about patient characteristics, medical history, heart function, procedural details, and implantation outcomes. Important outcomes monitored include residual tricuspid regurgitation, bleeding, stroke, heart failure hospitalization, new pacemaker implantation, and repeat tricuspid intervention. Replacement-specific information also includes prosthetic valve gradients, device thrombosis or migration, and interactions with existing pacemaker or defibrillator leads.
Follow-up data are collected at 30 days and one year to assess recovery beyond the initial hospitalization. Echocardiographic findings help evaluate valve function and remaining leakage, while functional assessments and the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ-12) document health status and quality of life. These measures help programs assess both valve performance and the patient’s experience after treatment.
Accurate documentation, complete follow-up, and review of registry findings support continuous quality improvement. By evaluating outcomes and identifying opportunities to improve care, participating programs can strengthen patient selection, procedural planning, and post-procedural management. The registry’s central purpose is to use clinical data to support safer, higher-quality tricuspid valve care.
Medicare coverage considerations: TTVR is covered under CMS’s Coverage with Evidence Development (CED) framework when applicable criteria are met. This requires treatment within a CMS-approved study that evaluates specified outcomes for at least 24 months. Routine registry participation alone does not fulfill all coverage requirements; programs must also meet the relevant patient, Heart Team, and study requirements.