Strategies for tricuspid valve repair

Tricuspid valve repair is in many ways more challenging than mitral valve repair, especially since tricuspid valve anatomy is more complex with three leaflets, a saddle-shaped dynamic annulus and a complex subvalvular apparatus. The late referral of patients for tricuspid valve surgery adds to this challenge and contributes to poor prognosis. Nevertheless, studies have shown that the presence of moderate or greater tricuspid valve regurgitation leads to poor survival. Consequently, tricuspid valve surgery is now being performed more often, in order to improve the quality of life and survival. Tricuspid valve disease can be broadly classified into congenital and acquired tricuspid valve pathologies. Various repair techniques besides simple annular reduction maneuvers are used which are primarily aimed at restoring the complex interplay of various anatomical components. This review is a summary of the various operative techniques which provide successful reproducible results and achieve a competent and durable tricuspid valve repair with satisfactory late outcomes.