[Valvuloplasty of rheumatic tricuspid valve disease]

This paper reports 49 cases with rheumatic tricuspid lesions underwent tricuspid valvuloplasty. Tricuspid stenosis was in 26, and combined with incompetence in 23. Posterior-septal, anterior-septal, and anterior-posterior commissural fusions were 9, 7, and 5 cases respectively. Tricuspid repair was used in all cases, fused chordae, papillary muscles and valvular commissures were each divided, then De Vaga's or Kay's annuloplasty was performed to correct the residual regurgitation. The associated procedures included DVR in 33, MVR in 15, and AVR in 1. Hospital death was 3 cases. All early survivors were followed up (2 months to 7 yrs, mean 4.2 yrs). There was no late death, heart functional class I was in 34, class II in 10 and class III in 2. Echocardiography performed 6 months postoperatively, showed no tricuspid regurgitation was in 38, moderate regurgitation in 8, and the right atrial volume decreased in various degrees. The principles and the methods of tricuspid valve repair in patients with rheumatic tricuspid lesions were discussed.