title: Pulmonary regurgitation: not a benign lesion.
abstract: Pulmonary regurgitation (PR) is a common complication after surgical or percutaneous relief of pulmonary stenosis and following repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Significant PR is usually well tolerated in childhood. However, in the long term, chronic PR has a detrimental effect on right ventricular (RV) function and exercise capacity and leads to an increased risk of arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Recent advances in non-invasive imaging and, in particular, wider availability of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), have improved the assessment of PR and RV function in these patients. This in turn has facilitated decision making on the optimal timing for elective pulmonary valve replacement (PVR), which should be performed before irreversible RV dysfunction ensues.
authors.affiliation: Adult Congenital Heart Centre, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, UK.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bouzas
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kilner
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gatzoulis
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011664:Pulmonary Valve / Q000002:abnormalities; D011665:Pulmonary Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011666:Pulmonary Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000209:etiology