• Alan Amedi, Daisuke Onohara, Dongyang Xu, Kirthana Sreerangathama Suresh, and Muralidhar Padala.
• Structural Heart Research & Innovation Laboratory, Carlyle Fraser Heart Center, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta, Ga.
• J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 2022 Jul 1; 164 (1): 7687.e176-87.e1.

ObjectiveSurgical annuloplasty for functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) is on the rise and can be performed in several ways with varied outcomes. In this study, we sought to compare the hemodynamic outcomes of tricuspid annuloplasty performed with a commercially available annuloplasty ring (tricuspid valve annuloplasty [TVA]) compared with focal suture annuloplasty (Hetzer) in an experimental FTR model.MethodsAn ex vivo FTR model was developed by inducing right ventricular dilatation by acute afterload elevation, causing severe tricuspid valve tethering and annular dilatation, leading to regurgitation. Ten porcine hearts in which FTR was induced underwent TVA with a 26-mm Edwards MC3 ring and Hetzer annuloplasty with a pledgeted suture cinching the anteroposterior and septal annulus. FTR was measured before after each repair, and tenting geometry, valve kinematics, and subvalvular geometry were measured with echocardiography.ResultsAt baseline, none of the hearts had FTR, but upon afterload elevation an FTR volume of 17.7 ± 9.2 mL (26.38 ± 17.47% regurgitant fraction) was measured (P < .0001). TVA reduced regurgitation by 50% and Hetzer annuloplasty by 56% , respectively, but both left persistent FTR. Anteroseptal tenting area was 279.0 ± 158.9 mm2 before repair and decreased significantly to 147.2 ± 134.8 mm2 (P = .0195) with Hetzer but not with TVA. Posteroseptal tenting area was 425.1 ± 169.2 mm2 before repair and was significantly reduced by both techniques (TVA: 200.3 ± 102.9 mm2 [P = .0012]; Hetzer: 237.6 ± 127.6 mm2 [P = .0270]).ConclusionsTricuspid annuloplasty with a ring or a focal suture can reduce FTR but not eliminate it. Annular approaches did not relieve tricuspid valve tethering and reduced leaflet mobility persisted. Either subannular repairs or judicious use of valve replacement may be necessary.Copyright © 2020 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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