title: Continuous "over and over" suture for tricuspid ring annuloplasty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A ring implantation in the tricuspid annulus requires many interrupted mattress sutures for correction of tricuspid regurgitation (TR). In this study, tricuspid ring annuloplasty was performed by 2-0 polypropylene continuous suture instead of multiple interrupted 2-0 polyester mattress sutures, and the efficacy of the method was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 20 patients who underwent tricuspid ring annuloplasty by continuous suture between May 2009 and July 2010. Four of the patients had an isolated TR, and the rest had a left-sided cardiac lesion. The concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty was performed after the left-sided heart surgery was completed and a Duran flexible ring prosthesis was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no perioperative mortality or conduction problem. More than a moderate degree of TR was improved to less than a mild degree after the procedure. After the ring annuloplasty, the right atrial volume decreased from 123.7±69.2 mL to 74.5±37.4 mL, and the mean right atrial pressure was lowered from 18.7±12.2 mmHg to 8.9±5.5 mmHg.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The continuous "over and over" suture may be a useful procedure for fixing the ring to the annulus and making an intentional annular placation in performing tricuspid ring annuloplasty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Dong-A University Medical Center, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Korea.
authors.forename: Kwon-Jae
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jong Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Sang Seok
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Jung Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yi