Surgical treatment of isolated tricuspid valve endocarditis: Midterm data

Isolated tricuspid valve endocarditis (TVE) is a rare disease which is managed medically in most patients. Only in specific cases, surgical intervention becomes necessary. Hence, data about surgical outcomes are sparse. This study reports on the operative experience in patients with isolated TVE over a period of 20 years.

We retrospectively analyzed 32 patients with isolated TVE who underwent surgery from February 2001 to June 2021 at the German Heart Centre Munich.

Thirty-day mortality was 3.1%. Overall survival was 89.9± 5.5% at 1 year and 76.9 ± 8.5% at 5 years. Cumulative incidence for reoperation was 11.1 ± 6.0% at 5 years. Four patients (12.5%) were treated for recurrent endocarditis. Tricuspid valve repair (TVr) was achieved in 16 patients (50%). If the subvalvular apparatus (n = 10) was involved, tricuspid valve replacement was performed more frequently.

Mortality in patients with isolated TVE undergoing cardiac surgery is high. In half of the cases, TVr was achieved but was less likely in patients with affected subvalvular apparatus.