Anatomy of the Tricuspid Valve, Pathophysiology of Functional Tricuspid Regurgitation, and Implications for Percutaneous Therapies

Complicated postoperative course in isolated tricuspid valve surgery: Looking for predictors

BACKGROUND

This study aims at better defining the profile of patients with a complicated versus noncomplicated postoperative course following isolated tricuspid valve (TV) surgery to identify predictors of a favorable/unfavorable hospital outcome.

METHODS

All patients treated with isolated tricuspid surgery from March 1997 to January 2020 at our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Considering the complexity of most of these patients, a regular postoperative course was arbitrarily defined as a length-of-stay in intensive care unit less than 4 days and/or postoperative length-of-stay less than 10days. Patients were therefore divided accordingly in two groups.

RESULTS

One hundred and seventy-two patients were considered, among whom 97 (56.3%) had a regular (REG) and 75 (43.6%) a non-regular (NEG) postoperative course. The latter had worse baseline clinical and echocardiographic characteristics, with higher rate of renal insufficiency, previous heart failure hospitalizations, cardiac operations, and right ventricular dysfunction. NEG patients more frequently needed tricuspid replacement and experienced a greater number of complications (p < .001) and higher in-hospital mortality (13% vs. 0%, p < .001). The majority of these complications were related to more advanced stage of the tricuspid disease. Among most important predictors of a negative outcome univariate analysis identified chronic kidney disease, ascites, previous right heart failure hospitalizations, right ventricular dysfunction, previous cardiac surgeries, TV replacement and higher MELD scores. At multivariate analysis, liver enzymes and diuretics' dose were predictors of complicated postoperative course.

CONCLUSION

In isolated TV surgery a complicated postoperative course is observed in patients with more advanced right heart failure and organ damage. Earlier surgical referral is associated to excellent outcomes and should be recommended.

Imaging and Patient Selection for Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Interventions

With the emergence of transcatheter solutions for the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) increased attention has been directed to the once neglected tricuspid valve (TV) complex. Recent studies have highlighted new aspects of valve anatomy and TR etiology. The assessment of valve morphology along with quantification of regurgitation severity and RV function pose several challenges to cardiac imagers guiding transcatheter valve procedures. This review article aims to give an overview over the role of modern imaging modalities during assessment and treatment of the TV.

Specific Anatomic Considerations for Tricuspid Interventions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review discusses the normal anatomy and pathology of the tricuspid valve (TV) and right side of the heart. Emphasis is on those anatomic and pathologic features relevant to interventions intended to restore normal function to the TV in disease states.

RECENT FINDINGS

TV pathology is less common than aortic and mitral valve pathology, and treatment and outcomes for interventions face considerable hurdles. New innovations and early data showing safety and efficacy in transcatheter interventions have transformed TV interventions into the next frontier in cardiac valve disease treatment. Certain features of the TV and right heart have presented themselves as potential targets, as well as impediments, for TV intervention. The causes of TV pathology and the anatomy of the TV and right heart bring unique challenges to intervention. Approaches to intervention will continue to progress and change the way we view and treat TV pathology.

Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement: Principles and Design

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) may affect as much as 65-85% of the population with the prevalence of moderate-to-severe TR in the United States reported at greater than 1.6 million. However, only 8,000 tricuspid valve operations are performed annually in the United States. As severe TR is associated with poor outcomes, there is an unmet clinical need for surgical or percutaneous transcatheter based treatment of TR. Over the last two decades there have been significant developments in percutaneous transcatheter based therapies for valvular disease. However, this progress has not been mirrored for the tricuspid valve until recently; we are now at a cross-roads of new transcatheter devices becoming available for treatment of TR. In this review, we discuss the principles of performing transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement, analyze the devices that can be utilized and outline the challenges related to this procedure.