A further look at tricuspid annuloplasty.

Is it necessary to replace the tricuspid valve or insert a tricuspid ring for pure tricuspid insufficiency, or is repair satisfactory? In 96 of 113 patients with pure tricuspid insufficiency the tricuspid valve was repaired by converting the incompetent three-leaflet valve into a two-leaflet one. To avoid liver damage in these critically ill patients, the inferior caval tie was omitted during the open-heart procedure. There have been 5 deaths in the last 51 consecutive operations. Three patients developed recurrent tricuspid insufficiency secondary to failure of the mitral repair or replacement. It is concluded that tricuspid repair for pure tricuspid insufficiency is a simple and excellent method for treating severe, pure tricuspid insufficiency.