IJN first to utilize PASCAL
precision transcatheter valve repair system

May 21, 2026
Healthcaretoday, IJN, Institute Jantung Negara, National Heart Institute, mitral valve leakage, PASCAL Precision system, Dato Sri Dr Azmee Mohd Ghazi,
The PASCAL Precision system offers a minimally invasive solution for mitral regurgitation, repairing the leaking mitral valve through a catheter-based procedure to help reduce symptoms, improve heart function and enhance patients’ quality of life.
The National Heart Institute (IJN) has become the first hospital in Malaysia to clinically utilize the PASCAL Precision transcatheter valve repair system, a transcatheter mitral innovation for patients with mitral regurgitation.

The milestone marks an important advancement in structural heart care, expanding treatment options for patients who remain symptomatic despite medical therapy and may be at high risk for conventional surgery.
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Mitral regurgitation occurs when the heart’s mitral valve does not close properly, causing blood to leak backwards into the heart. If left untreated, it can lead to symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue and worsening heart failure. The PASCAL Precision system is designed to repair the mitral valve through a minimally invasive, catheter-based approach that helps reduce the leakage.

​The PASCAL system adds another important option to the existing range of transcatheter mitral valve repair technologies. Rather than replacing current therapies, it complements them by allowing heart teams to tailor treatment according to each patient’s valve anatomy and clinical needs. Its design features, including broader paddles, a central spacer and independent leaflet clasping, may offer advantages in selected complex cases where valve repair is more challenging.

Dato’ Sri Dr Azmee Mohd Ghazi, IJN’s Head of Cardiology, Senior Consultant Cardiologist and Clinical Lead for Structural Intervention in Mitral and Tricuspid Valve, who leads the hospital’s advanced structural heart intervention program, said: “As the first center in Malaysia to clinically utilize the PASCAL Precision system, IJN continues to advance access to innovative structural heart therapies for patients who may not be suitable candidates for conventional surgery. This technology gives our heart team an additional option to treat mitral regurgitation through a less invasive approach, while supporting precise and effective valve repair.”

Clinical studies have shown that the PASCAL system can effectively reduce mitral valve leakage, helping patients experience improved heart function and overall quality of life following treatment.

The availability of the PASCAL Precision system further strengthens IJN’s structural heart program and supports a more individualized, anatomy-driven approach to transcatheter mitral valve repair in Malaysia. 

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