A challenging triple valve surgery for long-standing pulmonary hypertension in rheumatic heart disease: a case report

Abstract

Background Pulmonary hypertension is an increase in the mean pulmonary arterial pressure, greater than 25mmHg at rest, or greater than 30mmHg while exercising. In valvular heart disease its presence indicates a decompensated state of the disease. Surgical interventions are the ultimate treatment for the correction of valvular heart disease. Case Report A 38-year-old female was admitted to the Emergency Department (ER) with complaints of shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, and history of fainting. The patient was initially scheduled for aortic and mitral valve replacement and tricuspid valve repair at the end of year 2020. However, due to covid-19 pandemic, the patient was re-scheduled for surgery. On the 15th of June 2022, the patient was admitted to the ER of Zainoel Abidin General Hospital, and was consulted to the CTVS division. On the 17th of June 2022, the patient underwent a successful mitral valve replacement using mechanical St. Jude 29 mm valve, mechanical St. Jude 17 mm for aortic valve position, and tricuspid valve repair commissurotomy and using MC3 Edward ring annuloplasty. The patient was hospitalized for seven days and underwent successful first phase cardiac rehabilitation before discharge. The patient has since made remarkable improvements, establishing better quality of life. Conclusion Reduced pulmonary pressures postoperatively are often modest, and persistent pulmonary hypertension (PH) is known to be common and an indicator of poor prognosis. For patients with long-standing pulmonary hypertension due to rheumatic heart disease, valve replacement surgery effectively reduces pulmonary hypertension caused by damage to the left heart valve.