Mechanical Tricuspid Valve Replacement Research Articles

Surgical Outcomes of Repairing Ebstein Anomaly: A Single-Center Experience

Background: Ebstein anomaly (EA) is a rare congenital disorder of the tricuspid valve (TV), accounting for about one percent of congenital heart defects. Considering highly variable anatomy, diverse corrective surgical methods are currently utilized. Cone reconstruction provides a near anatomic tricuspid restoration method that has triggered enthusiasm for early repair over recent years. Objectives: In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical and echocardiographic features and outcomes of patients who underwent surgical correction of EA in our referral center. Methods: In this study, we reviewed the medical records of 35 patients with EA who underwent cone repair or TV replacement and had accessible echocardiographic data before and at least one year following the corrective surgery. The patients were evaluated for residual tricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity, right ventricular (RV) size, RV fractional area change (FAC), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and 2D left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) before and after the operation. Results: Mean age of the patients was 29.49 ± 9.13 years, and 54.3% of them were female. Twenty-one (60%) patients underwent cone repair, and 14 were subjected to TV replacement. Seven (20%) patients required reoperation; redo TV repair was conducted in three patients (8.6%); two (5.7%) patients underwent biologic TV replacement; mechanical TV replacement was performed in one patient (2.9%) who had degenerative biologic TVs, and one patient (2.9%) was subjected to redo-operation due to mechanical TV malfunction. Positive changes in the means of RV-FAC and 2D-LVEF were statistically significant in all patients irrespective of the type of surgery (P < 0.001), but changes in the means of RV size (P = 0.38) and LVESD (P = 0.302) were not statistically significant. There was a significant increase in functional RV size in both groups of patients who underwent repair (P = 0.063) or replacement (P = 0.02). Conclusions: The present study revealed satisfactory post-op results for cone TV repair in patients with EA, evidenced by reduced TR severity and improved biventricular functional parameters. Assessing the durability of the outcomes of cone TV repair needs longer-term follow-ups.

Outcomes after implantation of right-sided mechanical valve prostheses in congenital heart disease

BackgroundBioprosthetic valves are often used for pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) and tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) because of concerns about mechanical valve thrombosis in the right heart. The purpose of this...

A Novel Approach to Diagnostic Left and Right Heart Catheterization in a Patient With a Mechanical Prosthetic Tricuspid Valve.

A 47-year-old patient was experiencing dyspnea and fatigue concerning for right ventricular hypertension and new heart failure. Because of the risks associated with catheter entrapment, prosthetic valve leaflet damage, and valve thrombosis associated with crossing a mechanical valve, a novel technique was used for diagnostic left and right heart catheterization in a patient with mechanical tricuspid valve replacement and tortuous pulmonary arteries. Using a percutaneous subxiphoid approach to avoid traversing the mechanical valve without discontinuing anticoagulation, a Volcano fractional flow reserve pressure wire (Philips Volcano) was advanced for distal measurements of pressures and saturations.

Long-term clinical outcomes of tricuspid valve replacement using bovine versus porcine valves: a nationwide population-based study.

The early and long-term clinical outcomes of bovine versus porcine tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) were compared based on the nationwide database from the National Health Insurance Service. Of 1464 patients who underwent TVR from 2002 to 2018 in Korea, 541 were enrolled after excluding mechanical TVR, re-TVR, complex congenital heart disease, Ebstein anomaly and age <19 years at operation. Bovine (group B) and porcine valves (group P) were used in 342 and 199 patients, respectively. The median follow-up duration was 4.1 years [interquartile range 1.2-9.0]. Inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis was performed for adjustment between the groups. Early and long-term clinical outcomes, including all-cause mortality, ischaemic stroke, haemorrhagic stroke, endocarditis and reoperation, were compared. In inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis, operative mortality and early clinical outcomes were comparable between the groups. The cumulative incidence of all-cause mortality demonstrated no significant differences between the groups [36.8% vs 38.0% at 5 years in group B versus group P; adjusted hazard ratio = 0.93; P = 0.617]. The cumulative incidence of cardiac death, ischaemic stroke, haemorrhagic stroke and endocarditis also demonstrated no significant differences between the groups (28.1% vs 25.9%, 7.1% vs 1.2%, 3.2% vs 4.2% and 9.7% vs 6.0% at 5 years in group B versus group P, respectively). However, the cumulative incidence of reoperation was higher in group B than in group P (20.2% vs 3.4% at 5 years in group B vs group P; adjusted hazard ratio = 4.76; P = 0.006). Early clinical outcomes and long-term outcomes, including all-cause mortality, cardiac death, ischaemic stroke, haemorrhagic stroke and endocarditis, were comparable between bovine and porcine TVRs. However, porcine valves demonstrated a lower cumulative incidence of reoperation than bovine valves.

Early and long-term outcomes of bioprosthetic versus mechanical tricuspid valve replacement: A nationwide population-based study

ObjectivesWe compared early and long-term clinical outcomes of bioprosthetic versus mechanical tricuspid valve replacement in a nationwide study based on the database from the National Health Insurance Service. MethodsOf 1425 patients who underwent tricuspid valve replacement from 2003 to 2018, 1241 patients were enrolled after excluding retricuspid valve replacement, complex congenital heart disease, Ebstein anomaly, and age less than 18 years at operation. Bioprostheses (group B) and mechanical prostheses (group M) were used in 562 patients (45.3%) and 679 patients (54.7%), respectively. The median follow-up duration was 5.6 years. Propensity score matching was performed. Subgroup analysis was performed in patients aged 50 to 65 years. ResultsThere was no difference in operative mortality or postoperative complications between the groups. All-cause mortality was higher in group B (7.8 vs 4.6 per 100 patient-years, hazard ratio, 1.75, 95% confidence interval, 1.33-2.30, P < .001). The cumulative incidence of stroke was higher in group M (hazard ratio, 0.65, 95% confidence interval, 0.43-0.99, P = .043), whereas the cumulative incidence of reoperation was higher in group B (hazard ratio, 4.20, 95% confidence interval, 1.53-11.54, P = .005). In terms of the age-dependent hazard of all-cause mortality, group B demonstrated a higher hazard than group M below the age of 75 years, and it was statistically significant between 54 and 65 years of age. In the subgroup analysis, all-cause mortality was also higher in group B. ConclusionsMechanical tricuspid valve replacement demonstrated higher long-term survival than bioprosthetic tricuspid valve replacement. In particular, mechanical tricuspid valve replacement showed significantly higher overall survival between 54 and 65 years of age.

Long-Term Outcomes of Bioprosthetic and Mechanical Tricuspid Valve Replacement after Left-Sided Valves Surgery.

This study aimed to show the outcomes of isolated tricuspid valve replacement (ITVR) after left-sided valve surgery (LSVS). Patients who underwent ITVR after LSVS were divided into bioprosthetic tricuspid valve (BTV) and mechanical tricuspid valve (MTV) groups. Clinical data were collected and analyzed between groups. 101 patients were divided into BTV (n = 46) and MTV (n = 55) groups. The mean ages of the BTV and MTV groups were 63.4 ± 8.9 and 52.4 ± 7.6 years, respectively (P <0.01). There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality (BTV 10.9% vs. MTV 5.5%), early postoperative complications, and long-term tricuspid valve (TV)-related adverse events between these two groups. New-onset renal insufficiency was an independent risk factor for early mortality. Survival rates in the BTV group were 94.8% ± 3.6%, 86.5% ± 6.5%, and 54.2% ± 17.6% and in the MTV group were 96.0% ± 2.8%, 79.0% ± 7.4%, and 59.4% ± 14.8% at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively (P = 0.826). The TV prosthesis selection in ITVR after LSVS seems to not affect 30-day mortality and early postoperative complications. Long-term survival and the occurrence of TV-related events were also comparable between these two groups.

Mechanical tricuspid valve replacement in hypoplastic left heart syndrome: An institutional experience

ObjectiveAtrioventricular valvar regurgitation in patients with single ventricles is associated with worse outcomes. Valve repair or replacement has been undertaken in an attempt to reduce mortality and morbidity. Current data on valve replacement in single ventricle patients are limited and derived from heterogenous populations. We describe our experience with repair and replacement of the tricuspid valve in children undergoing single ventricle palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. MethodsWe included 27 patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome with at least moderate tricuspid regurgitation who underwent valve intervention between 2007 and 2021 at our institution; charts were retrospectively reviewed for data. ResultsEleven patients (73% male) underwent valve replacement (median age, 3 years). Preoperative ventricular systolic function was normal in 10 patients (91%). Median follow-up postoperatively was 4 years with no early mortality, 1 (9%) late mortality, and 1 heart transplant (9%). Morbidity consisted of complete heart block in 1 patient (9%), with no important hemorrhagic or thrombotic events. Among survivors of replacement (n = 9), ventricular function was preserved in all (n = 8) who had normal function preoperatively and improved in the remaining patient. Sixteen patients underwent valve repair (median age, 4 months) with no early mortality, 8 (50%) midterm mortalities, and 2 heart transplants (12%). ConclusionsTricuspid valve replacement is a feasible option in hypoplastic left heart syndrome with significant tricuspid regurgitation, with favorable outcomes in the intermediate follow-up. When undertaken in the setting of normal function, ventricular function may be preserved in up to 80% of patients. Long-term follow-up is needed.

Reappraisal of mechanical tricuspid valve replacement in the current era: a single center retrospective study

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the early and late outcomes of mechanical tricuspid valve replacement (mTVR).MethodsWe evaluated 113 patients (82 women; median age, 53 years) who underwent mTVR between 1995 and 2017. Based on a history of cardiac surgery, patients were divided into primary (n=42) and reoperative mTVR (n=71) groups. The median follow-up duration was 12.7 years in primary and 9.3 years in reoperative mTVR, respectively (P=0.045).ResultsPatients in the reoperative group were older (54 vs. 46 years; P=0.007) and showed higher central venous pressure (16±6 vs. 13±6 mmHg; P=0.002) than the primary group. Early mortality occurred in 2 patients in the reoperative group (2 vs. 0; P=0.529). There was no significant difference in overall survival between the primary and reoperation groups (15-year survival rate: 86% vs. 78%; P=0.215). The independent risk factors of overall survival were age [P<0.001; hazard ratio (HR), 1.11; 95% confidential interval (CI), 1.05–1.18], left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 40% (P=0.001; HR, 5.1; 95% CI, 2.21–28.2), and central venous pressure over 20 mmHg (P=0.016; HR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.28–10.7). Overall survival did not differ between the age groups (<60 vs. 60–70 years) in the reoperative group (P=0.772). Tricuspid valve thrombosis occurred in 8 patients (7 primary, 1 reoperative; P=0.004).ConclusionsThe incidence of tricuspid valve thrombosis was significantly higher in the primary mTVR group compared with the reoperative mTVR group. The patients who underwent mTVR at a relatively young age showed good early and late outcomes in both groups.

Which is the best prosthesis in an isolated or combined tricuspid valve replacement?

The debate concerning the optimal choice of tricuspid position continues. We compared the long-term results of mechanical and biological prostheses in patients who underwent isolated or combined tricuspid valve replacement, at 2 major cardiac surgical centres in central China. From January 1999 to December 2018, 338 patients underwent tricuspid valve replacement. Patients were divided into an isolated group or a combined group according to whether their surgery was combined with a left heart valve surgery. Mechanical tricuspid valve replacement was performed in 142 patients (isolated group: 41 vs combined group: 101), and 196 patients underwent bioprosthetic tricuspid valve replacement (isolated group: 145 vs combined group: 51). Operative results, long-term survival and tricuspid valve-related events were compared. Early mortality in the combined group was higher (n = 6, 4%) than that in the isolated group (n = 3, 2%), but no significant difference was observed between the mechanical and biological subgroups. In the isolated group, there was a higher event-free rate in the biological subgroup than in the mechanical subgroup (P = 0.042) and a similar result was also observed for patients without Ebstein's anomaly (P = 0.039). In the combined group, no significant difference was observed (P = 0.98). Survival rates were similar between the mechanical and biological subgroups in both the isolated (P = 0.54) and combined (P = 0.81) groups. Mechanical valves in isolated tricuspid valve replacement were more prone to valve thrombosis and bleeding. Every decision regarding tricuspid valve prostheses should be individualized, but biological prostheses may be an optimal choice for patients, especially for patients without Ebstein's anomaly, in isolated tricuspid valve replacement.

Fifteen-Year Outcomes After Bioprosthetic and Mechanical Tricuspid Valve Replacement

This study was conducted to compare long-term clinical outcomes of mechanical and bioprosthetic tricuspid valve replacement (TVR). Two-hundred twenty-six TVR patients were enrolled; 120 patients underwent bioprosthetic TVR (BTV group) and 106 underwent mechanical TVR (MTV group). Early results and long-term clinical outcomes were compared. The median follow-up duration was 99 months (range, 1-295). Propensity score (PS) analyses including PS-adjusted Cox regression models and 1:1 PS matching were performed. Mean ages of the MTV and BTV groups were 50.5 ± 10.3 and 60.8 ± 12.0 years, respectively. There were no significant differences in early mortality (4.9% in total) and postoperative complications between the 2 groups. The overall survival and freedom from cardiac death in the MTV group were similar to those in the BTV group (reference, BTV group; hazard ratio [HR], 0.82 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.44-1.53] and 0.91 [95% CI, 0.44-1.87], respectively). The risk of a composite of thromboembolism and bleeding was significantly higher in the MTV group (HR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.16-4.77; P= .018). However the tricuspid valve reoperation rate was significantly lower in the MTV group (HR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.02-0.53; P= .007). Overall TV-related event rates in the MTV group were similar to those in the BTV group (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.49-1.28). PS matching extracted 69 pairs. Comparative analyses of early- and long-term outcomes from the matched groups yielded similar findings to those from the entire patient groups. The outcomes of bioprosthetic TVR were comparable with those of mechanical TVR in terms of long-term survival and tricuspid valve-related events over a 15-year postoperative follow-up.

Suprasternal Pulmonary Artery Puncture in the Setting of Right-Sided Mechanical Prostheses: The Radner Technique Redux

A 46-year-old woman with double outlet right ventricle and complex surgical history including Rastelli procedure, mechanical tricuspid and pulmonary valve replacement, and placement of an apicoaortic conduit was referred for cardiac catheterization as part of cardiac transplant evaluation. Due to

2664 You're Breaking My Heart: Carcinoid Heart Disease

INTRODUCTION: Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are rare tumors affecting the gastrointestinal tract and lungs with ∼8,000 cases diagnosed in the US each year. About 80% of small intestinal NET have metastasized to the liver and present as carcinoid syndrome with flushing, diarrhea, bronchospasm and heart failure, as the liver is unable to metabolize vasoactive substances. Carcinoid heart disease can occur in ∼60% of patients with carcinoid syndrome and is a late complication that can be associated with significant morbidity due to right sided heart failure. CASE DESCRIPTION/METHODS: A 60 year old female with anxiety and breast cancer presented to an outside clinic with chronic diarrhea. She began experiencing 10–20 watery stools daily for over a year but lost 8 pounds over the last four months. An upper and lower endoscopy done for evaluation of chronic diarrhea was normal. Stool studies revealed a negative stool culture, clostridium difficile PCR and normal fecal elastase, but laboratory studies showed an elevated chromogranin A (23,940 ng/ml), serotonin (1668 ng/ml) and urinary 5-HIAA (112 mg/day). A CT of the abdomen revealed multiple liver lesions. Liver biopsy was non-diagnostic. Four months later she sought a second opinion but soon after developed new onset ascites and lower extremity edema so was admitted to the hospital for further evaluation. Echocardiogram showed severe tricuspid regurgitation with the leaflets tethered and fixed in an open position. Cardiac MRI showed late gadolinium enhancement of tricuspid valve leaflets which was consistent with carcinoid heart disease. Repeat liver biopsy revealed grade 2 well differentiated NET, with presumed small bowel origin. She received octreotide and underwent mechanical tricuspid valve replacement. DISCUSSION: Carcinoid syndrome is a rare finding but is important in the differential of chronic diarrhea. This case also portrays the prolonged natural history of carcinoid syndrome with the late complication of carcinoid heart disease. Inability of upper and lower endoscopy to locate small bowel carcinoids can lead to a delay in diagnosis, and in 18% of small bowel carcinoids the primary location is not identified. Early identification and treatment of NET tumors can avoid late morbid conditions such as carcinoid heart syndrome.

Left Ventricular Pacing in Patients with Mechanical Tricuspid Valve Replacement

In patients with mechanical tricuspid valve replacement (TVR), management of atrioventricular conduction abnormalities can be challenging given inaccessibility of the right ventricle (RV) with an endocardial pacing lead. While implantation of an epicardial lead may serve as an alternative; it requires invasive surgical placement and is not an ideal option in patients with prior thoracotomy. The development of specialized leads have made lead implantation via coronary sinus (CS) an attractive alternative for pacing in this patient population.

REVERSE LUTEMBACHER: A RARE LATE COMPLICATION OF TRICUSPID VALVE REPLACEMENT

Tricuspid valve interventions are increasingly utilized. Prompt recognition of complications is crucial for treatment. A 53 year old woman with remote mechanical tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) and subsequent chronic moderate tricuspid stenosis (TS) presents with months of progressive dyspnea and

Tricuspid valve replacement with mechanical prostheses: Short and long-term outcomes.

Tricuspid valve replacement has been associated with high mortality and poor long-term outcomes. We report the preoperative risk factors associated with short and long-term outcomes following tricuspid valve replacement with mechanical prostheses. In 62 patients who underwent mechanical tricuspid valve replacement, clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic findings were analyzed using both univariate and multivariate analyses to describe operative and long-term mortality. In our population (mean age 59 ± 9.7 years, 82.3% female), most common causes of tricuspid valve disease were rheumatic fever (69.4%) and functional regurgitation (19.4%). Operative and long-term mortality were 17.7 and 33.9%, respectively. Age, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease were independently associated with increased long-term mortality. New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and right heart failure symptoms significantly improved during follow-up. In this series of mechanical tricuspid valve replacements in patients with predominately rheumatic heart disease, operative and long-term mortality were increased; however, survivors had significant improvement in their NYHA class and freedom from right heart failure symptoms. Three preoperative factors (age, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease) were independently associated with long-term mortality.

Biventricular pacing and coronary sinus ICD lead implantation in a patient with a mechanical tricuspid valve replacement

A 49-year-old man was admitted with symptomatic, sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. He had a previous history of AMP-kinase disease associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and complete heart block, and a pre-existing dual chamber pacemaker. He also had a mechanical tricuspid valve replacement and mitral valve replacement, for severe tricuspid regurgitation from right ventricle (RV) lead-induced injury to the tricuspid valve and a fibroblastoma on the mitral valve. His pre-existing RV lead was maintained between the prosthetic valve annulus and the native annulus. Inability to place an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in the RV due to the presence of a mechanical tricuspid valve replacement represented a rare but challenging clinical scenario. Surgical epicardial lead placement or the use of a subcutaneous ICD (S-ICD) were possible alternatives. Traditional ICD lead placement was favored because of the broad QRS from RV pacing meaning that use of the S-ICD was not possible due to failure of the electrocardiogram to lie within the bounds of the screening template, and the perceived high risk of repeat thoracotomy. We describe the technique for ICD lead placement in a mid-lateral cardiac venous branch of the coronary sinus with the ability to deliver anti-tachycardia pacing and cardiac resynchronization. To our knowledge this is the first report of an ICD in the mid-lateral cardiac vein, with cardiac resynchronization.<Learning objective: This case describes the technique for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement in the coronary sinus with biventricular pacing in a patient with a mechanical tricuspid and pre-existing right ventricular endocardial lead. This technique represents a viable alternative to repeat thoracotomy and surgical lead placement, where the risks of complication, prolonged hospital stay and lead failure are high. It also offers the ability to deliver anti-tachycardia pacing and cardiac resynchronization.>

Left Ventricular Pacing after Mitral, Tricuspid Valve Replacement without Interruption of Anticoagulation

Pacemaker implantation for patients with mechanical tricuspid valve is quite challengeable because lead insertion through prosthetic tricuspid valve may cause valve dysfunction or lead impingement. Also complications due to interrupt of anticoagulation should be considered. A 65 years old woman received AAI (atrium paced, atrium sensed, inhibited) pacemaker for sick sinus syndrome and mechanical mitral valve replacement for severe mitral steno-insufficiency at the same time 16 years before. She needed to undergo mechanical tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) because of severe tricuspid regurgitation despite of medical therapy. Complete atrioventricular block developed during the TVR operation and it was not recovered even after several days of temporary pacing. We decided left ventricular pacing through coronary sinus because ventricular lead could not pass mechanical tricuspid or mitral valve and also planned to continue oral anticoagulation therapy. We could find a place where high pacing output did not pace phrenic nerve with acceptable sensing, pacing threshold. The patient recovered well without any periprocedural complications. Left ventriclcular pacing lead implantation through coronary sinus without interruption of anticoagulation can be an alternative to epicardial pacing for patients with mechanical tricuspid valve. Key words: Pacemaker; Tricuspid valve replacement; Anticoagulation

Percutaneous tricuspid valve-in-valve implantation in Ebstein's anomaly: One-year follow-up of valve function

A 39-year-old lady with Ebstein's anomaly presented with progressive exertional breathlessness (New York Heart Association functional class III). She was obese (body mass index 42kg/m2) and had undergone previous mechanical tricuspid valve replacement, followed by re-replacement at the age of 24years with a 31mm Carpentier-Edwards bioprosthesis. Cardiac catheterisation and echocardiography revealed restricted prosthetic leaflet excursion with moderate stenosis (mean pressure gradient 7mmHg), moderate-to-severe regurgitation, and mildly reduced right ventricular systolic function (peak tricuspid annulus systolic velocity by Doppler tissue imaging 0.08ms−1).

Propensity Score Matching Analysis of Mechanical Versus Bioprosthetic Tricuspid Valve Replacements

Evidence for optimal prosthesis in the tricuspid position is lacking. We compared long-term results of tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) using mechanical and bioprosthetic valves. From January 1994 to December 2012, 224 patients (male to female ratio=55:169) underwent TVR. Mechanical TVR was performed in 121 patients (MTV group), and 103 patients underwent bioprosthetic TVR (BTV group). Patients in the BTV group were older and more frequently had hypertension than those in the MTV group. Propensity score matching was performed, and 66 patients were extracted from each group. Median follow-up duration was 73 (1 to 235) months. Operative results, long-term survival, and tricuspid valve-related events (TVRE) were compared. The ages of the propensity score-matched patients were 54.1±8.7 and 55.3±11.6 years in the MTV and BTV groups, respectively. Early mortality (n=9, 6.8%) and postoperative complications were similar between the propensity score-matched groups. The 10-year overall survival and freedom from cardiac death rates were similar between the 2 matched groups (p=0.897 and p=0.893, respectively). Freedom rates from a composite of thromboembolism and bleeding were lower in the MTV group than in the BTV group (83.6% and 77.4% vs 89.5% and 89.5% at 5 and 10 years, respectively), although it was not statistically significant. The TVRE-free rates at 10 years were 54.8% and 53.6% in the MTV and BTV groups, respectively. Bioprosthetic valve replacement is a valid option for TVR in these relatively young patients because anticoagulation could be avoided without increasing the risks of long-term TVRE.

When should a mechanical tricuspid valve replacement be considered?

Isolated mechanical tricuspid valve replacement (mTVR) is uncommon, early mortality is reported to be high, and little is known regarding the long-term outcome. We sought to evaluate the long-term outcome of mTVR. From 1980 to 2007, isolated mTVR was performed in 64 patients (33 men) at our institution; themedian age was 45.5 years (6-71 years). There were 2192 tricuspid valve (TV) repairs and 137 isolated bioprosthetic TV replacements during the same time interval. Valve dysfunction was caused by congenital TV abnormality in 45 patients (70%), carcinoid heart disease in 13 (20%), traumatic TV regurgitation in 3(5%), and other reason in 3 (5%). Twenty-three patients (36%) had at least 1 previous cardiac procedure (TV repair in 8 and bioprosthetic TV replacement in 7). Mechanical prostheses used included Starr-Edwards (before 1993) in 36 patients (56%) and bileaflet prostheses in 28 (44%). Concomitant procedures included atrial septal defect closure in 28 (44%), arrhythmia surgery in 11 (17%), and pulmonary valvectomy for carcinoid disease in 10 patients (16%). Early mortality occurred in 5 patients (7.8%). Early morbidity included a permanent pacemaker in 9 (14%) and reexploration for bleeding in 2 patients (3%). Mean follow-up was 6 years (maximum 22.4 years). Five- and 10-year survival was 65% and 58%, respectively. There was no valve-related mortality. Late morbidity included valve thrombosis in 5 patients (8%); 3 were managed nonoperatively and 2 underwent TV rereplacement. Isolated mTVR still leads to increased early mortality. A mechanical valve can be considered inselect situations when anticoagulation is necessary and in the presence of good right ventricular function.