A Sarasota Memorial Hospital surgeon has performed what medical device maker Edwards Lifesciences calls the world's first procedure combining two of its newest cardiac implants in a single operation.

Jonathan Hoffberger, chief of cardiovascular surgery at Sarasota Memorial, replaced a patient's failing tricuspid heart valve and implanted a device designed to reduce stroke risk during the same surgery.

The hospital announced the procedure Oct. 13. Edwards Lifesciences confirmed it was the first time its TRIFORMIS RESILIA tricuspid valve and ECLIPTIS left atrial appendage exclusion system had been implanted together in the same patient anywhere in the world.

"Patients who need heart valve surgery often have other cardiovascular conditions that increase their risk of complications," Hoffberger said. "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."

Two devices for two heart conditions

The TRIFORMIS RESILIA is the first surgical replacement valve designed specifically for the tricuspid position. Previously, surgeons often adapted valves designed for other positions in the heart.

The device incorporates tissue technology designed to resist calcium buildup, a major contributor to the deterioration of replacement heart valves.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized the valve for tricuspid replacement in October 2025, with additional device modifications approved in May 2026, according to FDA records.

The ECLIPTIS system, which received FDA clearance in June 2026, closes the left atrial appendage, a small pouch connected to the heart's upper left chamber.

In patients with atrial fibrillation, or AFib, blood can collect in the pouch and form clots that may travel to the brain and cause a stroke. Closing the appendage is intended to reduce that risk.

Three surgeons use new technology

Hoffberger was one of three cardiothoracic surgeons from Sarasota Memorial's First Physicians Group who performed combined cardiac procedures using the new devices this month.

On the same day as Hoffberger's procedure, surgeons Jeffrey Sell and Kristen Walker each implanted the ECLIPTIS system in another patient undergoing heart surgery, according to South Florida Hospital News.

The three procedures involved different cardiac conditions. Hoffberger's was the first reported case combining the TRIFORMIS RESILIA valve and ECLIPTIS system in one patient.

Hospital expands advanced cardiac care

Tricuspid valve disease has historically received less attention than conditions affecting other heart valves, partly because of the risks associated with surgical treatment.

An analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database reported a predicted operative mortality risk of 5.6% for isolated tricuspid valve surgery, according to Cardiovascular Business.

Sarasota Memorial's cardiac program includes surgeons, interventional cardiologists and other specialists who provide valve replacements, repairs and minimally invasive procedures.

The hospital has also received national recognition for cardiovascular care. Its Sarasota campus was named among the nation's 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals by Premier, according to the health system.