Tricuspid regurgitation following left-sided valve surgery: echocardiographic evaluation and optimal timing of surgical treatment.

Severe tricuspid regurgitation may often appear and progress late after left-sided valve surgery without left-sided valve dysfunction, significant left heart failure, and pulmonary hypertension. The clinical features, echocardiographic evaluation, treatment, and prognosis of this disease entity have been discussed, but data is limited compared with left-sided valve diseases. Tricuspid annular dilatation associated with atrial fibrillation and right ventricular dysfunction strongly relate to development of isolated tricuspid regurgitation late after left-sided valve surgery. Three-dimensional evaluation may be useful in evaluating tricuspid valve anatomy in more detail. Better prognosis in patients undergoing surgical treatment for severe isolated tricuspid regurgitation than those who were treated medically has been reported; however, the timing of isolated tricuspid valve surgery is often too late. Right ventricular function is a key word for determining the timing of isolated tricuspid valve surgery; however, it is difficult to evaluate by conventional echocardiography. One of the serious issues in the future will be how to accurately evaluate right ventricular function.