Comparison of Outcomes of Tricuspid Valve Surgery in Patients with Reduced and Normal Right Ventricular Function

Background To study the effect of tricuspid valve repair/replacement on outcomes of patients with reduced systolic right ventricular function. Methods Between January 2012 and July 2016, 191 patients with isolated tricuspid valve regurgitation and/or in combination with other valve diseases were enrolled into this retrospective study. We compared early postoperative outcomes (i.e., 30 days after surgery) between patients' cohort with a preoperative reduced (i.e., at least moderately) versus normal (or mildly reduced) right ventricular function as defined by means of preoperative echocardiography. Results A total of 82 (43%) patients had preoperatively reduced right ventricle function with tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) of 13.3 ± 3.3 versus 20.2 ± 4.9 mm (p Conclusion Tricuspid valve repair/replacement effectively eliminated severe tricuspid regurgitation and improved clinical signs of heart failure. Although mortality and morbidity were increased in the group with reduced right ventricular function, even these patients benefitted from improved functional status and right ventricular systolic function early postoperatively.