Is a bioprosthesis preferable in tricuspid valve replacement?
We reviewed clinical data on 29 patients (17 acquired disease and 12 congenital disease) who underwent tricuspid valve replacement using a Carpentier-Edwards porcine valve or a St. Jude Medical valve at Niigata University Hospital between January 1978 and October 1995, and analyzed risks related to the outcome. Age ranged from 8 to 62 years, and 17 females were included. New York Heart Association functional class was IV in 9 patients (31%). Previous valve surgery had been performed in 10 patients (34%). An urgent surgery was required in 4 patients and simultaneous mitral (with aortic) valve replacement in 13 (45%). Mean follow-up period was 6.7 years. Hospital mortality occurred in 5 patients (17.2%) and all of them had acquired valvular diseases with functional class IV. There were 6 late deaths and none of them related to the tricuspid prosthesis. Nonfatal morbidity occurred in 2 patients (a thrombosed valve and a chronic hemolytic anemia) with a St. Jude valve. Late functional class was I or II in all patients except 3 with severe left-ventricular dysfunction or bioprosthetic failure. Late postoperative echocardiographic examination showed moderate tricuspid stenosis or regurgitation in 3 patients with a Carpentier-Edwards valve. By the Kaplan-Meier method, functional class (P < 0.01) and baseline diseases (p < 0.05) were found to affect probability of freedom from cardiac- and/or valve-related mortality including hospital death. In conclusion, the present study indicates that similarly good outcome would be expected whether using a St. Jude Medical valve or a Carpentier-Edwards porcine valve, and that both functional class IV and combined acquired valvular disease are risk factors for mortality after tricuspid valve replacement. Patient-specific selection of the prosthesis would be preferable in tricuspid valve replacement.
Hayashi
J
J
Second Department of Surgery Niigata University, School of Medicine, Japan.
Saito
A
A
Yamamoto
K
K
Watanabe
H
H
Ohzeki
H
H
Eguchi
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000401:mortality; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000601:surgery*