Tricuspid valve endocarditis cured by excision of a single vegetation

Partial replacement of the tricuspid valve by mitral homografts in acute endocarditis

BACKGROUND

Seven patients with acute tricuspid endocarditis underwent partial replacement of the tricuspid valve using mitral homograft tissue. Valve function was evaluated at midterm.

METHODS

Operative indications were uncontrolled sepsis in all cases associated with heart failure symptoms in 3 patients and septic pulmonary emboli in 2 patients. These patients were referred to our institution after a course of antibiotic treatment ranging from 7 to 12 weeks. Lesions found at the level of the anterior leaflet of the tricuspid valve were vegetations and rupture of more than half of the marginal cords in all patients. Vegetations were also found on the posterior leaflet in 5 patients. In all instances the septal leaflet was free of lesions. The aortic valve was involved in 4 patients and the pulmonary valve in 1 patient. All patients underwent resection of the anterior and posterior leaflets of the tricuspid valve with their corresponding papillary muscles leaving the septal leaflet in place. Replacement of the tricuspid valve was performed through a right longitudinal atrial access, using the anterior leaflet of a mitral homograft alone in 3 patients and the anterior leaflet with part of posterior leaflet in 4 patients. Associated procedures included aortic valve replacement by a homograft (n = 4) and pulmonary valve reconstruction (n = 1).

RESULTS

No hospital deaths are reported. One late death, at 16 months, is reported after reoperation due to recurrent aortic valve endocarditis. At midterm (mean follow-up, 30 months) patients had excellent functional status and normal valvular function during echocardiographic studies.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that when the degree of tricuspid valve destruction prevents repair, partial homograft replacement can be used as an extension of the already existing reconstructive techniques, with excellent functional results.

Surgical treatment of endocarditis

Since early investigators first suggested that the treatment of endocarditis should include valve replacement for infections not readily controlled with medical therapy alone, the role of surgery has become expanded, yet refined, to improve the outcome of patients with this potentially fatal disease. Innovative surgical techniques have also been developed in an effort to improve the results of surgical treatment for complex sequelae of invasive infections. This article examines the current indications for surgical intervention, compares the various surgical options, and assesses the expected short-and long-term outcome after valve replacement for patients with native valve or prosthetic valve endocarditis.

Conservative surgery in multiple cusp involvement in tricuspid valve endocarditis

Tricuspid and mitral valve endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis in a 57 year old previously healthy man with no history of drug abuse presented as bi-ventricular failure and multiple episodes of pulmonary emboli. He was treated for four weeks with intravenous antibiotics and had serial echocardiographic assessment of the vegetation on the tricuspid valve. This was followed by mitral valve replacement, local excision of vegetation from all the three cusps of the tricuspid valve, and autologous pericardial reconstruction of these cusps with functional assessment by perioperative transoesophageal echocardiography. Postoperative cardiac function was excellent and serial echocardiographic assessment confirmed satisfactory tricuspid valve function. This is believed to be the first recorded case in which autologous pericardial repair was used to reconstruct all the three cusps in a tricuspid valve after excision of vegetations.

Tricuspid valve repair for tricuspid valve endocarditis: tricuspid valve "recycling"

Tricuspid valve endocarditis traditionally has been treated with either valve excision or valve replacement. To avoid implantation of foreign material in an infected field, we have applied the principles of mitral valve repair to 4 patients with tricuspid valve endocarditis. On preoperative echocardiography, all patients had 3 to 4+ tricuspid regurgitation, evidence of progressive right ventricular enlargement, and mobile vegetations. In each case, up to three quarters of the anterior leaflet was excised en bloc with infected chordae and papillary muscle heads. Surgical procedures included standard quadrangular resection, conversion to a bicuspid valve, and pericardial patch replacement of the anterior leaflet with mobilization of basal chordae to replace resected marginal chordae. On postoperative echocardiography, tricuspid regurgitation and right ventricular dimensions were reduced in 2 of 4 patients in spite of loss of leaflet tissue. All excised valve tissue demonstrated bacteria on Gram stain or culture. Nonetheless, all repaired valves were successfully sterilized without recurrent infections. Tricuspid valve repair can allow eradication of infection with potential for improving valve competency in complicated tricuspid valve endocarditis.

Tricuspid valve Candida endocarditis cured by valve-sparing debridement

This report describes the case of a patient in whom Candida albicans tricuspid valve endocarditis was treated by excision of a large vegetation and partial tricuspid valvectomy without prosthetic valve replacement. In select patients, valve-sparing debridement may allow a long-term cure and may be the procedure of choice in the treatment of Candida tricuspid valve endocarditis.

Tricuspid valve endocarditis

TVE is mainly a disease of intravenous drug abusers. Although the infecting organisms are often highly virulent, they frequently respond to medical treatment. The prognosis for patients with TVE is fairly good. About 25% of TVE patients require surgical intervention. Persistent sepsis and intractable congestive heart failure are indications for surgery. Tricuspid valvulectomy without prosthetic replacement is the surgical intervention of choice. Right-sided heart failure is the principal complication after valvulectomy without a prosthesis. A significant percentage of patients require insertion of prosthetic valves at a future date.