St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ) said today that it launched its Trifecta GT aortic valve replacement in the European Union, hailing the device as its most advanced tissue valve.

The Trifecta GT won CE Mark approval in the EU in February, the St. Paul, Minn.-based company said. The valve’s titanium stent is covered with tissue to improve tissue-to-tissue contact during the leaflets’ motion. St. Jude said the Trifecta GT also features its Linx anticalcification treatment

The Trifecta GT “will help us provide the best care possible for our patients in need of aortic valve replacement and especially those with challenging clinical cases,” Dr. Gebrine El Khoury of St-Luc Hospital in Brussels, who performed the 1st Trifecta GT implantation, said in prepared remarks.

“The excellent hemodynamic performance of the valve improves quality of life by restoring blood flow both at rest and during exercise, making it an outstanding choice for a wide range of patients,” noted Dr. Alain Leguerrier of Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Rennes, France. “The enhancements to the Trifecta GT tissue valve facilitate improved valve parachuting and seating, which means the valve can gently glide into place.”

“For years, St. Jude Medical has dedicated significant resources to develop best-in-class heart valve replacement options while refining our devices based on physician feedback and clinical outcomes,” added St. Jude CTO Philip Ebeling. “The improved design of the Trifecta GT tissue valve allows for smoother placement while providing nearly unobstructed blood flow over the life of the valve. The Trifecta GT tissue valve is a true testament to our commitment to the cardiac surgery community and the patients they treat.”