• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1049-1051
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• 1999

We performed a reoperation of failed tricuspid mechanical valve in a 63-year-old female patient because the overgrown endothelial pannus had entrapped the prosthetic leaflets. Four years ago, the patient underwent mitral and tricuspid valve replacements with 31 and 33 mm Carbomedics, respectively. The patient showed symptoms of neck vein distention, abdominal distention and peripheral edema. The chest film, echocardiography and cineangiography confirmed the diagnosis of tricuspid valve. During the operation, we found the entrapped leaflets of the tricuspid valve in a partially closed state and the endothelial pannus had overgrown into the leaflets. Carpentier-Edward bovine pericardial valve was inserted and the patient was discharged with no significant events.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.700-705
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• 1988

A case of congenital tricuspid stenosis in 24 year old male patient is presented. The lesion was successfully corrected with prosthetic valve replacement and closure of atrial and ventricular septal defects. Especially, this is the first reported case of successful large prosthetic valve replacement to a small annulus in tricuspid valve.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.229-232
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• 1980

Approximately 5 percent of infective endocarditis are limited to the right side of the heart, the tricuspid valve being the usual site of involvement. Usually there is no underlying cardiac disease, and the vegetations occur on previously normal tricuspid leaflets. This paper reports a case of bacterial endocarditis involving the bio-tricuspid valve in a patient with tetralogy of Fallot, and who required prosthetic valve replacement in addition to surgical therapy for the congenital lesions.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.55-58
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• 1998

Surgical treatment is recommended in tricuspid valve endocarditis not responding to antibiotics or presenting severe heart failure. However, risk of early prosthetic valve endocarditis especially in drug addictors is principal concern in the treatment. A 37 year-old man with tricuspid valve endocarditis underwent staged operation of primary tricuspid valvulectomy and secondary bioprosthetic valve implantation successfully. We report it with references of literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.680-685
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• 2001

Background: Tricuspid valve replacement is very rarely performed procedure and its long-term result is not yet satisfactory. Moreover, it is not well known whether bioprosthesis or mechanical prosthesis is the best selection for artificial valve. We reviewed 72 cases of tricuspid valve replacements in 71 patients between January 1989 and December 1998, trying to analyze the overall results and risk factors for mortality and morbidity. Material and Method: Average age of the patients at the time of operation was 42$\pm$13 years(range 16 to 65 years) and the sex ratio of male versus female was 32/39. Primary diagnosis consisted of 50 cases of aquired valvular heart disease and 18 cases of congenital heart disease, such as Ebstein’s anomaly. 4 cases had isolated tricuspid valve regurgitation. Implanted valves were 69 mechanical prosthesis and 3 bioprosthesis. Concomitant mitral or aortic valve replacements were performed in 50 cases. One patient received concomittant pulmonary valve replacement. Result: There were 7(9.72%) operative deaths and 7(13.0%) late deaths. Actuarial survival at 10 years was 59.2$\pm$7.2%. Prosthetic tricuspid valve thrombosis occurred 11 times in 5 patients. Reoperation for prosthetic tricuspid valve failure was performed in 1 patient. In this case, examination of the explanted prostheses showed that the tricuspid stenosis was the result of valve thrombosis. Among the 47 survivors, 46 patients(98%) were in functional class I or II. Conclusion: In our ten-year experience of tricuspid valve replacement, mortality and morbidity were satisfactory. Mechanical prosthesis in tricuspid position showed comparable clinical results as bioprosthesis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.522-526
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• 1990

We have experienced 2 cases vocal cord paralysis after open heart surgery. One was a postoperatively developed right unilateral vocal cord paralysis after prosthetic mitral valve replacement with tricuspid valve annuloplasty. The other was a postoperative left unilateral vocal cord paralysis after prosthetic aortic and mitral valve replacement with tricuspid annuloplasty. They were intubated for forty-eight and seventy-two hours but after extubation complained of hoarseness, aphonia, anxiety, and ineffective coughing Indirect laryngoscopy performed at about postoperative one week, revealed partial paralysis and decreased mobility of the vocal cord. After active phonation therapy, symptoms were improved gradually and in the follow up indirect laryngoscopy, the vocal cord paralysis was improved. The symptoms were recovered completely at about postoperative one month in both. The cause of vocal cord paralysis after open heart surgery may be any retraction or stretching injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve, especially right side, during median sternotomy retraction and open heart operation procedures. As a result, avoid of excessive spread of median sternotomy retractor and excessive manipulation and retraction of the heart during open heart procedures will reduce the occurrence of the vocal cord paralysis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1102-1110
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• 1996

Between Oct. 1985 and July 1995, 230 patients underwent mitral valve replacement. There were 77 men and 153 women whose mean age was 35.7 years, range 9 to 62 The concomitant operations were 40 aortic valve replacements(17.4%), 25 tricuspid annuloplasties(10.4%), 8 aortic valve replacements & tricuspid annuloplasties(3.5%), 2 tricuspid valve replacements(0.9%) and others, We used 139 mechanical (76 51. Jude medical, 33 CarboMedics, 30 Sorin) and 91 tissue 386 Carpentier-Edwards, 5 lonescu-Shiley) valves. The early postoperative complications occurred in 28 cases. There were 8 low cardiac output syndrome, 5 pleural effusion, 3 significant arrhythmia, 2 cardiac rupture and others. There were 6 early hospital deaths (2.6%) due to low cardiac output syndrome(2), arrhythmia(2) and ventricul r rupture(2). The cuAmulative notal follow-up period was 764. 4 patient-years with a mean of 4).9 months. The long term follow-up information was available for 212 patients(94.6%). There were 21 cases of valve-related complications. Prosthetic valve failure(10), anti-coagulation related bleeding (5), prosthetic valve endocarditis (4), and thromboembolism (2) occurred at rates of 1.3, 0.7, 0.5, and 0.3%Ipt-yr respectively. Late death occurred In 5 cases (0.7%/pt-yr) associated with prosthetic valve endocarditis (2), heart failure (2) and anti-coagulation related bleeding (1). There was no difference in the rate of freedom from prosthetic valve failure between the mechanical and tissue valve group at 6 years (100%), but there was significant difference at 9 years between the tissue (34.4%) and mechanical valve (100%) group (p=0.032). Actuarial survival rates were 98. 8% in tissue valve. 9).7% in mechanical valve group and 96.6% in total patients at 9 years.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.247-253
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• 1981

A total and consecutive 46 patients have undergone cardiac valvular surgery including 8 open mitral commissurotomy and 38 mitral, aortic, mitral-aortic, mitral-tricuspid, tricuspid valve replacements using 46 artificial valves in a period between September 1976 and July 1981. They were 19 males and 27 females with the age ranging from 16 to 50 (mean 32.6) years. Out of 46 valves replaced, 6 were prosthetic valves and 40 were tissue valves, and 33 were replaced in mitral, 9 in aortic and 3 In tricuspid position. Isolated replacements were 33 mitral valves, 6 aortic valves and 1 tricuspid valve; double valve replacements were 6 mitral-aortic valves and 2 mitral-tricuspid valves. . Early mortality within 30 days after operation was noted in 4 cases; 3 after MVR and 1 after open mitral commissurotomy. Causes of death were thrombus obstruction of Beall-Surgitool, Cerebral air embolism, acute renal shut down due to low output syndrome, and left upper pUlmonary vein rupture after open mitral commissurotomy (early mortality 8.7%). 3 late deaths were noted during the follow-up period from 2 to 59 months; 1 due to cerebral hemorrhage from warfarin overdose 3 months, 1 due to miliary tuberculosis 9 months, and another 1 due to cardiac failure after open mitral commissurotomy 42 months postoperatively. Total survival rate 59 months after valvular surgery was 84.8%; there were no early and late death in the group of AVR, TVR and double valve replacements. Preoperative NYHA Class III & IV were 35 cases (76%) out of total 46 cases, and 38 cases (94.8%) out of 39 survival cases were included In NYHA Class I & II during the follow-up period.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.446-455
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• 1985

A total and consecutive 156 patients have undergone cardiac valve surgery including 13 closed mitral commissurotomy, 13 open mitral commissurotomy, one mitral annuloplasty, 75 mitral valve replacement, one aortic annuloplasty, 24 aortic valve replacement, 3 tricuspid valve replacement, 25 double valve replacement and one triple valve replacement. 155 prosthetic valves were replaced in a period between September 1976 and August 1985. There were 68 males and 88 females with age range from 8 to 69 yrs [mean 36.5 yr]. Out of replaced valves, 61 was tissue valve including 54 Carpentier-Edwards, and 4 was mechanical valves including 74 St. Jude Medical, and the position replaced was 101 valves for mitral, 46 for aortic and 8 for tricuspid. Single valve replacement in 102 cases, double valve replacement in 25 cases [17 for AVR+MVR, and 8 for MVR+TVR], and only one case was noted in the triple valve replacement. Early mortality within 30 days after operation was noted in 11 cases [7%]; 7 after MVR, 2 after DVR, and each one after open mitral commissurotomy and mitral annuloplasty. Cause of death was valve thrombus, cerebral air embolism, low output syndrome, uncontrollable arrhythmia, parapneumonic sepsis, acute cardiac tamponade and left atrial rupture. 7 late deaths were noted during the follow-up period from 1 to 104 months [average 48 month]; three due to valve and left atrial thrombus formation, two due to CVA from overdose of warfarin, and each one due to congestive heart failure and chronic constrictive pericarditis, Anticoagulants after prosthetic valve replacement were maintained with warfarin, dipyridamole and aspirin to the level of around 50% of normal prothrombin time in 79 cases, and Ticlopidine with aspirin in 47 cases to compare the result of each group. There were 11 major thromboembolic episodes including 3 deaths in the warfarin group. Two cases of CVA due to overdose of warfarin was noted in the warfarin group. In the ticlopidine group, there was only one left atrial thrombus confirmed at the time of autopsy. Among the survived 138 cases, nearly all cases[136 cases] were included in NYHA functional class I and II during the follow-up period. In conclusion, surgical treatment of the cardiac valve disease in 156 clinical cases revealed excellent result with acceptable operative risk and late mortality. Prevention of thrombus formation with anti-platelet aggregator Ticlopidine has better result than warfarin group presently with no specific side effect such as bleeding or gastrointestinal trouble.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.92-100
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• 1986

Results of reoperation for tissue valve failure were presented with review of current knowledge. Through January 1986, 19 patients required reoperation: 18 had undergone mitral, 2 aortic, and 1 tricuspid valve. Primary tissue failure was the main cause of tissue valve failure: it occurred in 18 valves [15 mitral, 2 aortic, and 1 tricuspid] at a mean postoperative interval of 54-25 months [range 29-120]. During the same period, 2 patients required reoperation for prosthetic valve endocarditis, 1 for paravalvular leakage. The types of valves failed were 12 lonescu-Shiley valves, 5 Hancock valves, and 1 Carpentier-Edwards valve. All 6 patients younger than 15 years of age at first operation had been implanted with lonescu-Shiley valves and failed after a mean interval of 35 months. In contrast, 11 patients older than 15 years had been implanted with 5 Hancock, 6 lonescu-Shiley, and 1 Carpentier-Edwards valve initially, and eventually failed after mean intervals of 81, 53, 47 months each other. The kinds of valves used at reoperation were 8 lonescu-Shiley, 4 Bjork-Shiley, and 6 St. Jude Medical valves for primary tissue failure cases and 3 lonescu-Shiley valves for the other 3 cases. Overall mortality at reoperation was 10%: 5.6% for primary tissue failure, 50% for prosthetic valve endocarditis. In 15 cases [all mitral] primary tissue failure were caused by calcification associated with or without leaflet destruction or fibrous ingrowth, and in 2 cases [all aortic] caused by cusp perforation and tearing without any evidence of calcification. In conclusion: 1 primary tissue failure is the main cause of reoperation in patients with tissue valve failure; 2. the majority of the failed valves is in mitral position; 3. leaflet calcification is the leading pathology of primary tissue failure; 4, reoperation for tissue valve failure may be a major concern, although the mortality is low; 5. the limited durability of tissue valve suggests its use be restricted to selected cases.