[Role of echocardiography in preoperative diagnosis of organic defects of the tricuspid valve in patients with rheumatic mitral heart defects].

The results of investigations by echoCG, ECG, FCG, sphygmography, roentgenography, including cardiac catheterization, of 16 patients with rheumatic mitral-tricuspid disease of the heart were compared. The organic injuries of the tricuspid valves (OITV) were confirmed during operation. With respect to preoperative diagnosis of OITV the sensitivity of echoCG was equal to 94 %, polycardiography--81 %, roentgenography--54 %, cardiac catheterization--94 %. Thus, echoCG proved to be the most accurate method of the primary asanguineous diagnosis of an organic injury of the tricuspid valve. The echocardiographic diagnosis of OITV included the symptoms of constriction of the right atrioventricular orifice and fibrous alterations of the valve cusps. Possible technical errors of the methods in respect to the detection of OITV are discussed.