Combined mitral and tricuspid valve repair in rheumatic valve disease: fewer reoperations with prosthetic ring annuloplasty.

BACKGROUND We examined predictors of early and very long-term outcome after combined mitral and tricuspid valve repair for rheumatic disease. METHODS AND RESULTS Between 1974 and 2002, 153 consecutive patients (mean age, 46.0+/-13.2 years) underwent combined mitral and tricuspid valve repair for rheumatic disease. Mitral disease was predominantly stenosis (82.3%); 100% of patients had organic tricuspid valve disease, predominantly with regurgitation (53.6%) or some degree of tricuspid stenosis (46.4%). Mitral repair included commissurotomy in 132 patients (86.3%) associated with a flexible annuloplasty in 108. Tricuspid valve repair included flexible annuloplasty in 68 patients (44.4%) and suture annuloplasty in 20 patients (13.1%) combined with tricuspid commissurotomy in 62 patients (42.5%). Thirty-day mortality was 5.9%. Late mortality was 60.1%. The median follow-up was 15.8 years (interquartile range, 6 to 19 years). Follow-up was 97.9% complete. Age>65 years was the only predictor of late mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival probability was 74.4% at 10 years and 57.0% at 15 years. Sixty-three patients required valve reoperation (mitral valve, 59; tricuspid valve, 38). Predictors of valve reoperations were either mitral or tricuspid commissurotomy without associated prosthetic ring annuloplasty. At 20 years, Kaplan-Meier freedom from reoperation was 48.5+/-5.1%. CONCLUSIONS Combined mitral and tricuspid valve repair in rheumatic disease showed satisfactory early results. Long-term results were poor because of high mortality and a high number of valve-related reoperations. The use of prosthetic ring annuloplasty was significantly associated with a reduced incidence of both mitral and tricuspid valve reoperations.