[Contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis of tricuspid insufficiency. Evaluation before and after cardiosurgical intervention in 24 patients].

26 patients (pts) (8 males and 18 females), mean age 50 +/- 9 years, with rheumatic valve (MV) disease, candidates to MV replacement, were examined by contrast echocardiography (CE) before and after surgery. This was done in order to assess pre and postoperatively the presence of associated tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and to evaluate the short and long-term results of the operation on the TR itself. For assessing TR, the systolic presence, intensity and persistence of the microbubbles of the contrast medium injected into an antecubital vein, were observed within the inferior vena cava (IVC).