Contemporary trends in surgical rheumatic valve disease in a Caribbean nation.

Background: Clinical practice suggests that rheumatic heart disease (RHD) represents a significant public health challenge in the Caribbean region where advanced disease appears early often leading to surgical intervention. We aimed to determine the burden of RHD and type of procedure among patients undergoing valve surgery in the Dominican Republic (DR).

Methods: Demographic, clinical and procedural data of all subjects intervened between January 2014 and December 2018 were obtained including valve disorder, anatomic location and type of surgery.