[A case of traumatic tricuspid regurgitation]

Tricuspid regurgitation due to nonpenetrating trauma occurred in a 60-year-old male patient who had received chest trauma in a motorcycle accident. He was admitted because of shortness of breath and palpitation on exertion. On admission physical examinations revealed pulsated and dilated jugular veins, hepatomegaly, and systolic murmur. The chest X-ray film showed an enlarged heart and electrocardiograms revealed complete right bundle branch block. Echocardiography demonstrated systolic prolapse of the tricuspid anterior leaflet into the right atrium. Right atrial v wave pressure was 20 mmHg. Tricuspid valve replacement with a Carpentier-Edwards 33 mm using super interpose method was performed successfully 13 years after the trauma. At operation, it was found that the chordae tendineae of the anterior leaflet was ruptured.