Carcinoid Heart Disease: 17-Year Follow-Up of Right Heart Double Bioprosthetic Valve Replacement

Bioprosthetic valve replacement in patients with carcinoid heart disease (CHD) is effective, although valve degeneration from persistent serotonin exposure is a concern, and long-term survival beyond 1 decade is rare.

We report a 46-year-old woman with CHD who underwent tricuspid and pulmonary bioprosthetic valve replacement in 2007, followed by hepatic tumor resection. Over a 17-year follow-up, she required interventions for tumor recurrence and atrial flutter. Notably, serial echocardiography demonstrated sustained bioprosthetic valve function without structural deterioration. She remains at NYHA functional class I-II status.

In this case, the patient exceeded the typical median survival (2-3 years) for CHD, suggesting that aggressive multimodal management and serotonin control can prevent bioprosthetic degeneration and ensure long-term survival.

With multidisciplinary oncologic and surgical care, bioprosthetic valves in CHD patients can demonstrate exceptional durability (17 years), offering prolonged survival and quality of life.