Cone versus conventional repair for Ebstein's anomaly

We aimed to investigate tricuspid valve function and adverse events after conventional repair and valve replacement for Ebstein's anomaly and compare them with cone repair.

The medical records of 151 patients (mean age, 25 years; 62% were female) who underwent operation in a single center from 1985 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. To determine tricuspid valve regurgitation during follow-up, serial echocardiographic examination was used (n = 2397, tricuspid regurgitation grades were graphed for every patient).

Thirty-nine patients underwent cone repair, 107 patients underwent other repair techniques, and 5 patients underwent valve replacement. The operative mortality was 1.3% (n = 2). Failed valve repair (defined as in-hospital death, conversion to replacement, or in-hospital reoperation) was less frequent after cone repair than after other repair techniques (5%, n = 2 vs 20%, n = 21, P = .039). Mean follow-up was 12.3 years (cone repair: 3.7 years). The 5-year cumulative incidence of moderate or greater recurrent tricuspid regurgitation was lower after cone repair than after other repair techniques (8% vs 32%, P = .03). Among the patients undergoing other repair techniques, the 15-year cumulative incidence of moderate or greater recurrent tricuspid regurgitation, severe tricuspid regurgitation, and reoperation was 58%, 37%, and 31%, respectively. During follow-up, 18 patients died (13 of cardiac and 5 of noncardiac causes). Among patients who died of cardiac causes, 10 of 13 had all 3 characteristics-moderate or greater tricuspid regurgitation, atrial fibrillation, and New York Heart Association classification III and IV-at their last medical evaluation.

Before cone repair, recurrent tricuspid regurgitation was considerable. Cone repair provided a higher rate of successful repair and a lower incidence of moderate or greater recurrent tricuspid regurgitation at the midterm follow-up.