News
New Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Treatment Comes to Richmond
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VCS structural heart specialist Matthew J. Chung, MD, FACC performs region’s first procedures using EVOQUE for severe tricuspid regurgitation
RICHMOND, Va., Tuesday, August 25, 2026 – Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists (VCS) structural interventional cardiologist Matthew J. Chung, MD, FACC, director of the structural heart program for the Bon Secours Mercy Health Richmond market, led the team of physicians who performed the Richmond region’s first procedures using the Edwards EVOQUE transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement system on April 29. The new minimally invasive treatment offers another option for patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation who may not be good candidates for open-heart surgery or transcatheter tricuspid valve repair.
Two VCS patients received the treatment that day.
“This fills a void for patients where there really wasn’t a good option previously,” Dr. Chung said. “Many of these patients are older or have other health conditions that make open-heart surgery a poor option. Being able to offer a minimally invasive valve replacement gives us another way to help patients who remain symptomatic despite medical therapy.”
Tricuspid regurgitation, or TR, occurs when the tricuspid valve on the right side of the heart does not close properly, allowing blood to flow backward. Severe TR can cause shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling, and other symptoms that significantly affect quality of life.
The EVOQUE system allows physicians to replace the tricuspid valve through a vein in the groin without opening the chest. It became the first transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement therapy approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for patients with symptomatic severe TR despite optimal medical therapy when replacement is deemed appropriate by a heart team.
For an 83-year-old VCS patient who was the first person in Richmond to be treated with EVOQUE, the months since the procedure have brought meaningful changes in everyday life. Before treatment, shortness of breath, fatigue, and low energy made normal activities increasingly difficult.
Today, she says her shortness of breath has greatly improved, and she is working to rebuild her strength and stamina.
“I judge how I’m doing by the things I can do every day,” she said. “I can work in the garden, haul mulch, weed, and go up the 14 steps in my house. Those things were just harder before.”
“The goal is not simply to fix what we see on an echocardiogram,” Dr. Chung said. “It’s to help patients breathe better, have more energy, and get back to doing the things that matter to them.”
The April 29 procedures were performed by Dr. Chung and interventional cardiologist Manu Kaushik, MD, working alongside the multidisciplinary structural heart team at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital.
About Matthew J. Chung, MD, FACC
Matthew J. Chung, MD, FACC is a board-certified structural interventional cardiologist with Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists. He specializes in minimally invasive catheter-based treatments for valvular and structural heart disease, including closure of patent foramen ovale and atrial septal defects, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement, and transcatheter tricuspid valve repair and replacement.
About Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists
Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists (VCS) is Central Virginia’s largest independent cardiology practice, with 39 board-certified cardiologists serving patients across 9 locations in the Greater Richmond area. For nearly 50 years, VCS has been a trusted leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular disease. With a long history of bringing advanced diagnostics, innovative treatments, and minimally invasive procedures to Central Virginia, VCS continues to advance cardiovascular care in the communities it serves. Visit our website and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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Media Contact:
Jennifer Yeager
Director of Marketing
Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists
marketing@vacardio.com
Published August 25, 2026