Isolated Tricuspid Valve Repair and Right Atrial Plication Performed Using a Beating-Heart Technique for Atrial Functional Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation

Background: Isolated tricuspid valve disease remains a controversial indication for surgical intervention. Many patients referred for surgery already have a poor clinical condition and an advanced New York Heart Association functional class. There is no consensus on the optimal surgical technique for this condition, including on whether to perform the procedure on a beating or an arrested heart and whether to perform valve repair or replacement. Methods: We analyzed four case series between 2015 and 2022 in which patients with secondary tricuspid regurgitation (TR) underwent valve repair on a beating heart and right atrial plication for a dilated right atrium. The TRI-SCORE was calculated for each patient. Results: All patients experienced a favorable postoperative course with significant improvements in heart failure symptoms. TR was markedly reduced;however, in one patient with concomitant mitral regurgitation (MR) and a high TRI-SCORE, MR worsened postoperatively. This patient later died from unknown causes due to multiple comorbidities in the late phase. Conclusions: Tricuspid valve repair on a beating heart was effective for improving the cardiac function, and the TRI-SCORE proved useful as a preoperative risk assessment tool. The underlying mechanism by which TR exacerbates MR requires further investigation.

A modified tricuspid valve annuloplasty technique for functional tricuspid regurgitation

Background Functional tricuspid regurgitation often occurs in patients with concomitant left sided, valve disease. Several types of tricuspid valve annuloplasty have been described, but there is no consensus on the management of functional tricuspid regurgitation. We report a modified annuloplasty technique and compare its efficacy with the conventional Kay technique. Methods A retrospective review was made of 60 patients who received tricuspid valve annuloplasty （group A, modified method; group B, Kay technique） and the early and midterm outcomes of modified method and Kay technique were compared. Results Three patients underwent ring annuloplasty using a semirigid Carpentier-Edwards ring due to failing suture annuloplasty. All patients were completely cured when they left the hospital. The follow-up time was （32＋7） months in group A and （30＋7） months in group B. After three years, tricuspid regurgitation decreased by more than two grades in 13 patients in group A and 11 in group B. The mean postoperative regurgitation grade in group A was lower than group B at 12, 24 and 36 months but not significantly. Three of 28 patients developed recurrent tricuspid regurgitation in group A and five of 26 patients in group B during the follow-up period （three deaths and three ring annuloplasties excluded）. Freedom from recurrent tricuspid regurgitation in group A was higher than that group B at all follow-up points. Postoperative right atrium diameter, right ventricle endodiastolic dimension and tricuspid regurgitation area decreased obviously in both groups. The right ventricle endodiastolic dimension and tricuspid regurgitation area improved more significantly in group A than group B over three years of follow-up, Conclusions The modified annuloplasty technique achieved the same outcomes as the conventional Kay annuloplasty over the first three years postoperation. As this modified technique is simple and less expensive, it is another option for correction of functional tricuspid regurgitation.

Moderate Secondary Tricuspid Regurgitation: Does It Worth More Time to Conserve?

Background: Concomitant repair of moderate secondary tricuspid regurgitation (STR) during mitral valve surgery is still subject of controverse. This research aims to study the early and mid-term postoperative influence of tricuspid repair on the clinical outcomes and right ventricular functions. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 92 patients with moderate STR who underwent tricuspid valve repair between October 2014 and December 2017, in the cardiothoracic surgery department, Menoufia University Hospital. Patients were assessed clinically and by echocardiography at one month and after 24 months postoperatively for the degree of tricuspid regurgitation (TR), right ventricular diameter and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE). Results: In this study, mean age of patients was 58.33 ± 4.06 years. We had a significant improvement in the grade of TR from preoperative period to follow up data observed at 1-month postoperative and 2-years follow-up (P = 0.0001). After one month postoperatively, no TR was detected in 74 cases (80.4%), and in 71 (84.5%) after two years. Mean right ventricular diameter decreased significantly from 23 ± 3.32 mm preoperatively to 21.9 ± 3 mm at 2-years postoperatively. An increase of TAPSE was from 19.96 ± 3.7 mm preoperatively to 20.3 ± 3.9 mm at 1-month postoperative (p = 0.55) and there was significant increase in late postoperative value. Conclusion: We highly recommend repair for moderate TR during mitral valve surgery to avoid progression of TR. Tricuspid repair was able to reduce the grade of regurgitation after two years of surgery and improved right ventricular functions.

Clinical efficacy of two different tricuspid annuloplasty techniques in left cardiac valve surgery

Objective: To investigate the mid-and long-term clinical effects of tricuspid valvuloplasty with the implantation of an artificial plastic ring.Methods: Data of 677 patients who had functional tricuspid regurgitation and left cardiac valve disease and underwent tricuspid valvuloplasty and left cardiac valve surgery were retrospectively.Among these patients, 353 underwent simple suture annuloplasty(group A) while the rest 324 patients underwent artificial plastic ring annuloplasty(group B).The two-year and more-than-two-year clinical and ultrasonocardiograph(UCG) follow-up data of the two groups were obtained and compared.Results: A total of 600 patients(88.6%) completed the long-term follow-up(more than two years).The two-year follow-up showed no significant difference in the incidence of mild tricuspid regurgitation between the two groups(82.2% vs.92.7%, P=0.37).However, there were significantly more cases that developed into moderate to severe tricuspid regurgitation in group A than in group B(17.8% vs.7.3%, P=0.031).The long-term follow-up revealed that the recurrence rate of tricuspid regurgitation in group B was significantly lower than that in group A(11.0% vs.25.0%, P=0.029), and the ratio of cases developing into moderate to severe tricuspid regurgitation in group A was significantly higher than that in group B(28.9% vs.9.9%, P=0.007).The comparison between the two intra-group time segments showed that the development of tricuspid regurgitation in group A was significantly increased(28.9% vs.17.8%, P=0.022), but in group B it was relatively stable(9.9% vs.7.3%, P=0.52).Conclusions: Artificial ring annuloplasty is associated with significantly less tricuspid regurgitation than simple suture annuloplasty.

The Effect of Atrial Septal Defect Closure on Cardiac Volumetric Changes in Adults, Transcatheter Versus Surgical Closure, a Pilot Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Study

Background:Closure of an atrial septal defect(ASD)reduces right-side heart volumes by abolishing shunting with simultaneous improvement of the left ventricle(LV)filling and functions due to ventricular interdependence,thereby improving symptoms.Furthermore,studies conducted on atrial volume changes after ASD closure are limited.Cardiac magnetic resonance(CMR)is considered as the gold standard method for measuring cardiac volume and mass.Objective:We aimed to study the effect of transcatheter and surgical closure of secundum ASD on cardiac volumes and systolic functions as well as the fate of tricuspid regurgitation(TR),using CMR analysis.Methods:We prospectively enrolled 30 adult patients with isolated secundum ASD who were referred to ASD closure.CMR evaluation of cardiac chambers indexed volumes,systolic function,myocardial mass index,and tricuspid regurgitant fraction were done at before and 6 months after closure.Results:RV volumes decreased in both groups when compared to baseline(p-value 0.001),the device group had more reduction in volumes and more improvement in RV function after closure(p-value 0.001)when compared to the surgical arm.The changes in the RV mass index were insignificant between both groups(p-value 0.31).Functional TR improved to the same extent in both groups.Left ventricular end diastolic volume index(LVEDVI)and LV mass index increased sig-nificantly in both groups when compared to baseline in both groups but with no difference between groups p-value 0.01),left ventricular end systolic volume index(LVESVI)changes were insignificant.LV systolic function improved in patients who underwent device closure only(63.53±3.85 vs.67.13±4.34,p-value 0.01).There was a significant reduction in right atrial(RA)volumes and an insignificant decrease in left atrial(LA)volumes,with no difference between groups.Conclusion:Transcatheter and surgical secundum ASD closure resulted in volumetric changes in some cardiac chambers with better improvement in bi-ventricular systolic function in the transcatheter arm and no difference in the TR reduction between the two groups at 6 months follow-up by CMR.