The upside-down stentless aortic bioprosthesis to tricuspid valve replacement

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Cardiac Valve Disease
• Infective Endocarditis

Background:

• Tricuspid valve endocarditis poses significant risks, especially in patients resistant to medical management.
• Surgical intervention is often necessary for complex cases of tricuspid valve endocarditis.
• Limited surgical options exist for high-risk patients requiring tricuspid valve replacement.

Observation:

• A novel surgical technique, stentless tricuspid valve replacement (STVR), was applied to three patients with refractory tricuspid valve endocarditis.
• The study period spanned from March 2008 to January 2009.
• Patients selected had endocarditis resistant to conventional medical therapies.

Findings:

• Intraoperative echocardiography demonstrated successful prosthetic valve placement.
• Follow-up echocardiograms indicated good prosthetic function, with no evidence of stenosis or regurgitation.
• All three patients tolerated the STVR procedure well.

Implications:

• Stentless tricuspid valve replacement (STVR) presents a promising alternative to traditional stented biological valves or homografts.
• This technique expands the surgical armamentarium for treating high-risk patients with tricuspid valve endocarditis.
• Further research may explore the long-term outcomes and broader applicability of STVR in diverse patient cohorts.