The Clinical Application Of Tricuspid Flexible Ring In Secondary Tricuspid Insufficiency

Objective:To compare the efficacy of tricuspid valve (TV) repair with or without a flexible ring in patients with secondary tricuspid insufficiency.Methods:The records of 55 patients who underwent surgery for secondary tricuspid insufficiency between January 2005 and December 2007 were reviewed retrospectively.All patients were rheumatic heart disease.Twenty-nine patients underwent De Vega or Kay's annuloplasty, and Twenty-six had a flexible ring annuloplasty. No significant preoperative differences were observed in NYHA functional class, tricuspid insufficiency grade, and pulmonary artery pressure between the two groups.Results:All patients survived and recovered after the operation. All patients had a reduction of right atrial diameter and right ventricular end diastolic diameter in two groups after operation.There was significant difference between two groups.Followed up 6 months,there are 3 cases severe tricuspid regurgitation in nonflexible ring;there aren't severe tricuspid regurgitation in flexible ring.Conclusion:The efficacy of flexible ring is superior to that of traditional De Vega technique or Kay's method in patients with secondary tricuspid insufficiency.