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.

Infiltrative cardiac lymphoma with tricuspid valve involvement in a young man

Cardiac metastases are among the topics with limited systematic reviews.Theoretically,the heart can be infiltrated by any malignancy with the ability to spread to distant structures.Thus far,no specific tumors are known to have a predilection for the heart,but some do metastasize more often than others,for example,melanoma and primary mediastinal tumors.We report a case of cardiac metastasis from a diffuse large B cell lymphoma in a young man.The peculiarity of this case is that besides the involvement of right ventricle and atrium,the tricuspid valve was also infiltrated.Valvular metastasis is rarely reported in the medical literature.

Tricuspid valve endocarditis:Cardiovascular imaging evaluation and management

Right-sided infective endocarditis is an increasingly recognized disease entity,with tricuspid valve being most frequently involved.Risk factors for tricuspid valve endocarditis(TVIE)include intravenous drug use,cardiac implantable electronic devices and indwelling catheters.Staphylococcus aureus is the predominant causative organism in TVIE.The diagnosis of infective endocarditis(IE)is based on clinical manifestations,blood cultures,and the presence of valvular vegetations detected by echocardiography.Complementary imaging is helpful when there is ongoing clinical suspicion for IE following initially negative echocardiography.Multislice computed tomography allows for assessment of extra-cardiac complications in TVIE,including pulmonary septic emboli.18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography and radiolabelled white blood cell,single-photon emission computed tomography provide important clinical information concerning the presence of IE in right-sided prosthetic valves or cardiac implantable electronic devices.The aim of this review is to provide an update on TVIE,discussing the role of multimodality imaging in TVIE and the management of these patients.

Clinical results of tricuspid valve replacement—a 21-case report

Objective： To summarize the clinical experiences of 21 patients treated with tricuspid valve replacement （TVR） and investigate the surgical indications and methods. Methods： Data from 21 patients who underwent TVR from December 2002 to March 2009 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. The mean age was 48.86± 15.37 years （range： 20-72 years）. The underlying disease of the patients was classified as rheumatic （n = 10）, congenital （n = 8）, endocarditis （n = 2） or chest trauma （n = 1）. Previous cardiac surgery had been performed in 12 patients （57.14%）. Results： In-hospital death occurred in two patients （9.52%）. Postoperative morbidities included cardiac failure （n = 2）, bleeding related re-operation （n = 1）, and plural effusion （n = 2）. Conclusion： The early outcomes of TVR were acceptable. At the present time TVR can be performed through optimal perioperative management.

Geometric comparison of the mitral and tricuspid valve annulus:Insights from three dimensional transesophageal echocardiography

AIM To apply real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography(RT3D TEE) for quantitative and qualitative assessment of the mitral valve annulus(MVA) and tricuspid valve annulus(TVA) in the same patient.METHODS Our retrospective cohort study examined the MVA and TVA in 49 patients by RT3 D TEE. MVA and TVA shape were examined by TEE. The MVA and TVA volume data set images were acquired in the mid esophageal 4-chamber view. The MVA and TVA were acquired separately, with optimization of each for the highest frame rate and image quality. The 3D shape of the annuli was reconstructed using the Philips~? Q lab, MVQ ver. 6.0 MVA model software. The end-systolic frame was used. The parameters measured and compared were annular area, circumference, high-low distances(height), anterolateralposterolateral(ALPM), and anteroposterior(AP) axes. RESULTS A total of 49 patients(mean age 61 ± 14 years, 45% males) were studied. The ALPM and the AP axes of the MVA and TVA are not significantly different. The ALPM axis of the MVA was 37.9 ± 6.4 mm and 38.0 ± 5.6 mm for the TVA(P = 0.70). The AP axis of the MVA was 34.8 ± 5.7 mm and 34.9 ± 6.2 mm for the TVA(P = 0.90). The MVA and the TVA had similar circumference and area. The circumference of the MVA was 127.9 ± 16.8 mm and 125.92 ± 16.12 mm for the TVA(P = 0.23). The area of the MVA was 1103.7 ± 307.8 mm^2 and 1131.7 ± 302.0 mm^2 for the TVA(P = 0.41). The MVA and TVA are similar oval structures, but with significantly different heights. The ALPM/AP ratio for the MVA was 1.08 ± 0.33 and 1.09 ± 0.28 for the TVA(P < 0.001). The height for the MVA and TVA was 9.23 ± 2.11 mm and 4.37 ± 1.48 mm, respectively(P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION RT3 D TEE plays an unprecedented role in the management of valvular heart disease. The specific and exclusive shape of the MVA and TVA was revealed in our study of patients studied. Moreover, the intricate codependence of the MVA and the TVA depends on their distinctive shapes. This realization seen from our study will allow us to better understand the role valvular disease plays in disease states such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and pulmonary hypertension.

Application effect of thoracoscopic tricuspid valvuloplasty in geriatric patients with tricuspid valve disease

BACKGROUND Thoracoscopic-assisted technology can ensure that doctors can implement minimally invasive treatment through the right intercostal incision or small incision of the lower sternum.This approach not only can achieve a cardiac correction effect equivalent to that of a thoracotomy but also has the benefit of a clear surgical field ensuring the safety of surgical treatment.AIM To investigate the effect of thoracoscopic tricuspid valvuloplasty in patients with tricuspid valve disease.METHODS A total of 41 patients with tricuspid valve disease underwent traditional thoracotomy treatment between January 2018 and June 2020.Forty-one patients with tricuspid valve disease who underwent thoracoscopic tricuspid valvuloplasty treatment between July 2020 and June 2021 in our hospital were selected as controls for our retrospective analysis.The study group underwent thoracoscopic tricuspid valvuloplasty,while traditional thoracotomy was performed in the control group.The operation conditions(the duration of extracorporeal circulation,aorta blocking,endotracheal intubation,and surgery),inflammatory response-related indices(C-reactive protein and white blood cell count)before and after surgery,parameters related to myocardial injury(myocardial troponin T,creatine kinase isoenzyme,creatine kinase,and lactate dehydrogenase),and the incidence of adverse events in the two groups was counted.RESULTS The duration of extracorporeal circulation(109.35±50.31 min),aortic occlusion(94.26±59.61 min),endotracheal intubation(12.59±3.54 h),and hospital stay(5.29±2.34 d)in the study group were shorter than those in the control group(114.91±46.98 min,101.37±61.44 min,13.11±4.01 h,7.09±3.11 d,respectively).The difference in hospital stay between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).Serum C-reactive protein level(4.69±1.35 mg/L)and white blood cell count(6.21±1.97×10^(9)/L)in the study group were found to be not significantly different than those in the control group(5.01±1.18 mg/L,5.98±2.01×10^(9)/L,respectively;P>0.05).Myocardial troponin T(0.04±0.02 ng/mL),creatine kinase isoenzyme(4.02±1.11 mg/mL),creatine kinase(91.35±10.44 U/L),and lactate dehydrogenase(179.81±60.04 U/L)in the study group were also not statistically significant different than those in the control group(0.05±0.03 ng/mL,3.97±1.05 mg/mL,89.69±13.05 U/L,186.35±56.96 U/L;P>0.05).After the operation,serum C-reactive protein level(7.89±1.73 mg/L)and white blood cell count(10.76±2.35×10^(9)/L)in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group(9.96±2.04 mg/L,14.84±3.07×10^(9)/L,respectively)(P<0.05).In addition,myocardial troponin T(0.89±0.32 ng/mL),creatine kinase isoenzyme(26.96±4.95 mg/mL),creatine kinase(608.32±202.33 U/L),and lactate dehydrogenase(282.56±101.34 U/L)in the study group were lower than those in the control group(2.61±0.69 ng/mL,34.37±6.87 mg/mL,689.94±214.64 U/L,369.15±114.46 U/L)(P<0.05).The incidence of adverse events in the study group(4.88%)was lower than that in the control group(19.51%)(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Thoracoscopic tricuspid valvuloplasty can achieve good results in treating patients with tricuspid valve disease,reduce the risk of adverse events,and promote the rapid recovery of patients.

Right Ventricular Thrombus and Tricuspid Valve Dysfunction in a Patient with Behçet’s Disease

Background: Behçet’s disease (BD) is a multisystemic, chronic inflammatory disorder with a broad range of manifestations including within the cardiovascular system. Cardiac involvement like intracardiac thrombus (ICT) and valvular involvement in BD are rarely seen entities and often associated with poor prognosis. Case Presentation: We present the case of a young patient with vascular-Behçet diagnosed by the presence of intracardiac thrombus in the right ventricle, unresponsive to medical treatment. Even though the intracardiac lesion was successfully treated by surgical excision, he presented a severe tricuspid dysfunction some years later due to the extension of fibrosis with no surgical therapeutic option. Conclusion: Intracardiac thrombosis is a rare but early manifestation of Behçet’s disease, which is difficult to diagnose and has a poor prognosis.

A Troika of Tricuspid Valve Thrombus, Bilateral Upper Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism

Background: Tricuspid valve thrombus with concomitant bilateral pulmonary embolism (PE) and right heart strain poses a significant risk of hemodynamic instability and increased mortality. Case Report: We report the unique case of a female who presented with dyspnea and tachycardia, and was subsequently found to have a structure attached to the tricuspid valve. Concomitantly, she also had bilateral upper extremity deep venous thrombosis (UEDVT) and bilateral sub-massive PE. Thorough clinical assessment, and diagnostic and risk stratification tools were applied to guide the management and disposition. Tricuspid valve thrombus resolved after unfractionated heparin therapy followed by oral anticoagulation as seen on repeat transthoracic echocardiography. We think the readership will benefit from our experience of managing an uncommon and critical clinical presentation of tricuspid valve thrombus in the setting of extensive venous thromboembolism. Conclusion: Careful clinical assessment, risk stratification tools, and close monitoring are needed to guide the management of tricuspid valve thrombus with concomitant bilateral PE and UEDVT.

Surgical-interventional hybrid orchestra consisting of Potts shunt, transcatheter tricuspid valve repair by Edwards-valve in a 26-year-old patient with pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure

Reported here is a 26-year-old patient with corrected congenital interrupted aortic arch admitted with massive hemoptysis and severe suprasystemic pul-monary hypertension provided him for heart-lung transplantation. Initial closure of a small aorto-pulmonary collateral remained ineffective. Persistent life-threatening hemoptysis led to the decision for a modified Potts shunt with the aim of decompressing the right ventricle and avoiding pulmonary-hypertensive crisis. The hemoptysis did not recur. However, the patient’s oxygen transport condition deteriorated and necessitated an orchestra of interventional-surgical approaches from re-coarctation stenting, Potts shunt flow reducing to surgical and transcatheter tricuspid valve repair with transient ECMO before the patient could be discharged home.

Isolated tricuspid valve infective endocarditis in young drug abusers

Isolated tricuspid valve infective endocarditis (TVIE) is a rare clinical condition. Thus, there is no common consensus for the treatment options for TVIE. Vege-tectomy and valvulectomy, valve repair, and valve replacement, which are controversial in regard to hemodynamic consequences in right-sided low-pressure system and long-term prognosis. We present 2 young intravenous drug users with TVIE and our surgical strategy.

Redoing a bioprosthetic tricuspid valve replacement with pacemaker wire through the ruined bioprosthetic valve orifice

Severe tricuspid regurgitation with permanent pacemaker wire passing through the orifice of bioprosthetic tricuspid valve is extremely rare. We present a case of such kind of patient and redid bioprosthetic tricuspid valve replacement. A hawk mouth forceps for bone surgery was used to cut off the mental ring of ruined bioprosthetic tricuspid valve and the ruined valve was removed. A new bioprosthetic tricuspid valve was implanted and the wire of permanent pacemaker was left outside the ring of bioprosthetic tricuspid valve. This method may be helpful for such kind of patient.

Outcomes of Ebstein＇s Anomaly Patients Treated with Tricuspid Valvuloplasty or Tricuspid Valve Replacement：Experience of a Single Center

Background：The incidence of Ebstein＇s anomaly is extremely low,and except for the Mayo Clinic,no cardiac center has reported on a sufficient number of patients.The aim of our study was to report the outcomes of Ebstein＇s anomaly patients treated with tricuspid valvuloplasty （TVP） or tricuspid valve replacement （TVR）.Methods：TVP or TV R was performed in 245 patients from July 2006 to April 2016.We reviewed patients＇ records and contacted patients via outpatient service and over the telephone.Results：The mean follow-up time was 43.6 ± 32.6 months,and 224 （91.4％） patients underwent follow-up.The mean operative age was 31.2 ± 15.7 years.TVR was performed in 23 patients,and TVP was performed in 201 patients.The 30-day mortality rate was 1.3％,and the overall survival rate was 97.9％ at 5 and l0 years.The early mortality rate of the TVP group was lower than that of the TVR group （0.5％ vs.8.7％,P =0.028）,and the overall mortality rate of the TVP group was lower than that of the TVR group,without statistical significance （1.0％ vs.8.7％）.After propensity score matching,the rates of mortality and New York Heart Association class ≥Ⅲ were lower in the TVP group than those in the TVR group without statistical significance.Seven patients with Type B Wolff-Parkinson-White （WPW） syndrome underwent one-stage surgery,and arrhythmias disappeared.Six patients suffered from episodes of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction （LVOTO） during surgery.Severe LVOTO could be treated with reoperation of the atrialized right ventricle.Conclusions：Ebstein＇s anomaly patients treated with TVP or TVR can experience optimal outcomes with midterm follow-up.However,TVP should be the first-choice treatment.Optimal outcomes can be obtained from one-stage operation in patients with Type B WPW syndrome.Severe LVOTO during surgery might be related to improper operation of the atrialized right ventricle.

Diagnosis and treatment of traumatic tricuspid valve insufficiency

Traumatic tricuspid valve insufficiency (TTVI) is a relatively uncommon disease. To summarize the experience in the diagnosis and treatment of TTVI, we have analyzed the clinical data of 3 patients with TTVI who were admitted to the department of cardiac surgery of our hospital between April 1997 to April 2002. Relevant literatures have also been reviewed.

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.

Association of edge-to-edge valve repair with artificial ring annuloplasty for severe tricuspid insufficiency

Objective To analyze whether association of edge to edge valve repair with artificial ring annuloplasty would result in better results in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) . Methods From April,2001 to May, 2010,41 patients underwent tricuspid valve repair to treat severe TR were studied. Twenty-one patients were done artificial ring annuloplasty alone (group R) and twenty patients were done artificial ring annuloplasty associated with edge to edge valve repair (group E) . All the

Utilization of edge-to-edge valve plastic technique to correct severe tricuspid regurgitation in patients with congenital heart disease

Objective Tricuspid regurgitation is often associated in patients with congenital heart disease. Significant morbidity and mortality are related to tricuspid valve replacement. Tricuspid valve plasty is still a preferred choice. This report deals with our surgical experience in using edge-to-edge valve plasty technique to correct severe

The Infectious Tricuspid Endocarditis in ICU： Clinical Features, Management and Outcome

Objectives： Infectious tricuspid endocarditis is known to simply require antibiotherapy and to have good prognosis in most cases. Few studies focused on severe episodes managed in ICU. We aimed to describe clinical and microbiological features, and fmal outcome of infectious tricuspid endocarditis managed in ICU. Methods： From 1 January 2009 to 31 August 2017, all patients hospitalized in intensive care unit with infectious tricuspid endocarditis were enrolled. Key findings： We collected 15 episodes of infectious tricuspid endocarditis. Median age was of 39 years. Risk factors were： intravenous drug users （n = 10）, pace maker （n = 1）, vascular device （n = 2）, none （n = 2）. Median SAPS II, APACHE II and SOFA on admission were 21, 10 and 2 respectively. Organ failures on admission were： acute respiratory failure （n = 10）, sepsis （n = 7）, coma （n = 1） and acute kidney injury （n = 8）. The most frequent causative pathogen was Staphylococcus Aureus. Antibiotherapy failure happened in 10 patients from whom 8 underwent cardiac surgery （53.3%）. Most frequent complications were acute kidney injury （n = 14） and withdrawal syndrom. Infectious tricuspid endocarditis relapse on bioprosthesis occurred within 2 intravenous drug users after hospital discharge. Overall in-hospital mortality was 40%. Conclusions： Infectious tricuspid endocarditis in ICU is fitted with poor prognosis and high need to cardiac surgery. Special care should be provided to intravenous drug users to prevent relapse.

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.

First-in-man Experience of a New Transcatheter Edge-to-edge Repair System Neoblazar in Patients With Severe Tricuspid Regurgitation

objective:Severe tricuspid regurgitation frequently leads to increased mortality and a poor prognosis.Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair(TEER)for tricuspid valve regurgitation has been reported as a safe alternative to traditional open-heart surgery.This study endeavors to assess the efficacy and safety of a newly designed Neoblazar TEER system in this high-risk population.Methods:This investigation was structured as a prospective,single-arm,first-in-man trial in China(ClinicalTrials.gov number:NCT05497141).From August 2022 to October 2022,patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation were enrolled from 3 centers(Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital,Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital,and Wuhan Union Hospital).The primary endpoint was achieving a minimum 1-grade reduction in tricuspid regurgitation at the 6-month post-TEER intervention,in addition to the pertinent New York Heart Association class.Scheduled echocardiographic evaluations were conducted at the following distinct intervals:baseline,discharge,1 month,and 6 months post-TEER intervention.Results:A total of 10 patients were enrolled in the study.Immediately after the TEER procedure with the Neoblazar system,massive tricuspid regurgitation(grade 5+)at baseline decreased to moderate-severe tricuspid regurgitation(grade 3+)in 2 patients and the optimal tricuspid regurgitation reduction(severe tricuspid regurgitation(grade 4+)to mild tricuspid regurgitation(grade 1+)were achieved in 6 patients.After 6 months of follow-up,tricuspid regurgitation reduction was found to be durable in all enrolled patients,among whom at least 1 grade of tricuspid regurgitation reduction was sustained,even without reintervention.Consistently,the New York Heart Association class among these subjects significantly improved,with the percentage of patients categorized as class I-ll increasing from 0/10 at baseline to 5/10 after 1 month(P=0.015)and 8/10 after 6 months(P<0.001).Conclusion:Tricuspid TEER with the newly designed Neoblazar system appears to be a feasible and safe alternative in treating patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation.However,the implementation of larger and more robust randomized trials is still necessary for further verification of the potential benefits.

Right Atrial Myxoma—A Case Report

Myxomas comprise 6% to 10% of primary cardiac tumors in childhood. Less than 10% of patients with cardiac myxomas are under 15 years of age. A large myxoma occupying in the right atrium and prolapsing into the right ventricle, pulmonary artery and producing tricuspid and pulmonary valve obstructions was diagnosed by Transthoracic 2D echocardiographic imaging in a 12-year-old male child.