Echocardiographic follow-up of tricuspid annuloplasty with a new three-dimensional ring in patients with functional tricuspid regurgitation.
BACKGROUND
A new tricuspid valve (TV) annuloplasty system, the MC3 ring, includes a three-dimensional structure designed to remodel the TV annulus and preserve physiologic annular function.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated the early- and mid-term outcomes of TV annuloplasty with the MC3 ring.


METHODS
A total of 136 patients with functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) had two-dimensional echocardiography before and 5 +/- 5 days after TV annuloplasty with the MC3 ring. Twenty-eight patients were followed for more than 1 year after surgery. Echocardiography was used to assess response to surgical therapy, including measures of cardiac function and geometry and identification of factors predisposing one to recurrent TR.


RESULTS
TR severity was improved early after surgery (P < .001). At 5 days after surgery, 16% had TR graded greater than moderate; among patients followed more than 1 year, this figure was 14%. Postoperative TR severity was associated with preoperative TR severity and tethering height.


CONCLUSIONS
TV annuloplasty with the new physiologic MC3 ring is effective for the management of TR and may be superior to conventional techniques. However, patients with extensive leaflet tethering (>1.0 cm) require additional maneuvers to ensure valve competence.
Fukuda
Shota
S
Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
Gillinov
A Marc
AM
McCarthy
Patrick M
PM
Matsumura
Yoshiki
Y
Thomas
James D
JD
Shiota
Takahiro
T
D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014262:Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*