Professor Hüseyin Ince, a Turkish-born cardiologist working in Berlin, has successfully implanted a newly developed tricuspid valve prosthesis in the heart for the first time in the world, marking a major advancement in cardiac care.

Born to immigrant workers from Malatya, Türkiye and raised in Germany, the 54-year-old Ince completed his medical education in Hamburg and Brussels. He currently serves as a professor at the University of Rostock and leads cardiology departments at Berlin’s Vivantes Am Urban and Vivantes Neukölln hospitals. He is recognized internationally for his work in minimally invasive heart valve treatments.

Safer approach

Tricuspid valves, located between the right atrium and right ventricle, can cause serious health issues when malfunctioning, including shortness of breath, fatigue, fluid retention, organ failure and even death. Traditional tricuspid valve implants offer no opportunity for adjustment once placed, often requiring open-heart surgery for corrective procedures if initial implantation fails.

"The new tricuspid valve prosthesis allows us to intervene safely inside the heart without the need for open-heart surgery,” İnce told Anadolu Agency (AA). "This technology enables us to reposition or even completely remove the valve without putting the patient at risk, which is a significant step forward.”

World-1st implantation

In August 2025, İnce performed the first minimally invasive tricuspid valve replacement on a 37-year-old patient with severe tricuspid regurgitation who had previously undergone an unsuccessful repair. The procedure, published in the European Heart Journal, involved inserting the valve through the groin rather than opening the chest, offering hope to high-risk patients previously considered inoperable.

Since then, the technique has been successfully applied to other patients, with approximately 80 individuals worldwide treated using this method. "The first three patients in Germany involved in this study were treated at our centers, and they have shown excellent progress,” İnce said.

Advantages

İnce emphasized that the new valve’s major advantage is its adjustability. "If the valve’s position isn’t ideal after implantation, we can reposition it or remove it entirely without any risk to the patient. This represents a next-level advancement in tricuspid valve technology,” he explained.

İnce also advised patients experiencing shortness of breath to consult a cardiologist. "Shortness of breath isn’t always related to weight; heart health must also be assessed, especially after age 60. Fortunately, there are now highly effective treatment options for these conditions.”

Personal mission

Reflecting on his background as the child of immigrants, İnce highlighted the broader significance of his work. "Our research in Berlin and Rostock is not just a professional responsibility. It also ensures first-generation immigrant communities have access to comprehensive, high-quality health care. We take pride in every individual in Germany who succeeds, regardless of origin and contributes to the nation’s overall progress.”

He predicts that the new technology will become widely available in Europe within three to five years.

Global recognition

Professor Samuel Sossalla of Justus-Liebig University, a leading European cardiologist, praised İnce: "With the world’s first tricuspid valve implantation, İnce is opening entirely new pathways and establishing a scientific foundation for a major new valve technology.”

Sossalla further noted that İnce exemplifies excellence in interventional cardiology, combining innovation with deep empathy for patients and colleagues. "His team-oriented leadership, spanning multiple centers, merges human integrity with management skill, fostering an environment built on trust, dedication and solidarity.”

İnce is also among the world’s most experienced experts in minimally invasive heart valve procedures, performing over 1,000 MitraClip interventions – the first physician to achieve this milestone.

Tricuspid valve insufficiency, caused by the improper closure of the valve between the right atrium and ventricle, severely affects quality of life and carries high risks when treated with conventional open-heart surgery. The minimally invasive approach pioneered by İnce now offers a safer, highly effective alternative.