Clinical and hemodynamic influences of prophylactic tricuspid annuloplasty in mechanical mitral valve replacement.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical and hemodynamic influences of prophylactic tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP) in patients with less-than-moderate tricuspid regurgitation (TR) who underwent mitral valve replacement (MVR).

Methods: Between November 1994 and December 2010, 293 patients with less-than-moderate TR who underwent primary mechanical MVR were categorized into 2 groups: TAP (n = 151) or no TAP (n = 142). The median age was 51 years (quartile (Q)1-Q3, 43-59 years). The cause of valve pathology was rheumatic in 92.5% of patients (n = 271). The prevalence of preoperative atrial fibrillation was in 73.0%. Using propensity score matching based on demographic information, 91 TAP patients could be matched to 91 no TAP patients. Median follow-up duration was 107 months (Q1-Q3, 76-162 months).

Results: There was no early mortality in either group. Early morbidities, including heart block were not different between groups. Although overall survival and freedom from cardiac-related mortality did not differ between groups (P = .519 and P = .115, respectively), freedom from recurrence of moderate or higher TR grade were significantly higher in the TAP group (P = .043). In subgroup analyses, these group differences of TAP were especially prominent in patients with sinus rhythm compared with patients with atrial fibrillation at discharge (P = .047 vs P = .460).

Conclusions: Prophylactic TAP for patients with less-than-moderate TR grade who underwent mechanical MVR can prevent late TR progression without increasing early surgical risks. Longer-term follow-up is required to determine the clinical beneficial effect of prophylactic TAP.