Two 'firsts' in a patient with tricuspid valve infective endocarditis following edge-to-edge repair: a case report

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. As many elderly TR patients are deemed inoperable, transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) is arising as a viable treatment option. Though procedural safety aspects seem excellent, long-term risks cannot be ignored, including the feasibility of cardiac pacing by endovascular lead implantation at a later time, as well as T-TEER device-related infective endocarditis (IE), in the context of systemic infection.

We present the case of an 80-year-old man with recurrent admissions for right heart failure due to massive TR, despite successful percutaneous mitral valve repair. The patient was turned down for surgery and eventually underwent T-TEER, with successful TR reduction to mild-to-moderate and improvement in quality of life. Five months later, the patient was admitted for symptomatic bradycardia and the first reported pacemaker implantation after T-TEER with a specific tricuspid valve device was performed. Lead implantation was guided by transoesophageal echocardiography, and did not worsen residual TR. Two years later, the patient presented with device-related tricuspid valve IE, again a 'first' following T-TEER. Despite antimicrobial therapy, the vegetation embolized through the atrial septal defect caused by prior mitral-TEER and triggered an ischaemic stroke. Furthermore, sepsis led to multiorgan failure and eventually death.

Tricuspid regurgitation is an individual predictor of morbidity and mortality, frequently found in elderly, and should be addressed in symptomatic inoperable patients. With the rise of interventional treatment, new challenges face long-term follow-up and treatment after percutaneous repair. This case report underscores the feasibility of endovascular pacemaker lead implantation after T-TEER, while it points to the risk of device-related tricuspid valve IE.