Avoiding Mistakes of the Past with Tricuspid Regurgitation

In 1967, Nina Braunwald and colleagues1 reported that mitral valve replacement would uniformly result in spontaneous resolution of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) obviating the need for intervention. We now know that this conservative approach has contributed to the severe undertreatment of the disease2,3 and resulted in a population of patients who have incurred excessive risk during repeat surgery.4,5 Secondary TR is associated with poor outcomes in a number of disease states.6-9 Whether TR is a marker of these comorbidities or an independent predictor of outcomes has been debated in the setting of the complex anatomic and hemodynamic relationship of TR to left heart disease.
Source: Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Editorial Comment Source Type: research