Impact of Concomitant Tricuspid Annuloplasty on Tricuspid Regurgitation, Right Ventricular Function, and Pulmonary Artery Hypertension After Repair of Mitral Valve Prolapse.

BACKGROUND

For patients undergoing mitral valve (MV) repair, the indications for and results of concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty remain controversial.

OBJECTIVES

This study was designed to compare a strategy of routine concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty for moderate tricuspid regurgitation (TR) or tricuspid annular dilation in patients undergoing degenerative MV surgery.

METHODS

Of 645 consecutive patients (mean age 57±13 years) undergoing primary repair of degenerative mitral regurgitation between 2003 and 2011, 419 (65%) underwent concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty for moderate TR and/or tricuspid annular dilation. These patients were retrospectively analyzed with longitudinal echocardiographic follow-up.

RESULTS

Patients undergoing tricuspid valve repair were older (mean age 59.2 years vs. 52.3 years), had worse right and left ventricular function and higher pulmonary artery pressures, and were more likely to have had atrial fibrillation than patients undergoing isolated MV repair (all p<0.05). No significant difference in 30-day mortality, morbidity, or permanent pacemaker requirement was seen between treatment groups. Freedom from moderate TR at 7 years was not significantly different in the 2 groups, but multivariate analysis showed that tricuspid annuloplasty was independently associated with freedom from late moderate TR (p=0.04), and was an independent predictor of recovery of right ventricular function (p=0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with moderate TR or tricuspid annular dilation who were undergoing degenerative mitral repair, concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty is safe, effective, and associated with improved long-term right-sided remodeling. Routine treatment of moderate TR or tricuspid annular dilation at the time of MV repair appears to be beneficial.