Impact of concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty on right ventricular remodeling in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease

BACKGROUND: Studies on the management of functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) during mitral valve operations have drawn inconsistent conclusions. This study was designed to compare the treatment strategy of concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP) against isolated mitral valve replacement (MVR) in rheumatic mitral valve disease patients, and to assess the effect of concomitant TAP on postoperative right ventricular (RV) remodeling and function. METHODS: One hundred-seventy patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease receiving MVR were categorized into TAP group (n = 124) and non-TAP group (n = 46). Clinical and echocardiographic data were collected preoperatively and at 1-year follow-up. Three-dimensional echocardiographic indices of RV geometry and function were analyzed. RESULTS: At baseline, concomitant TAP group had larger RV end-diastolic volume, more decreased RV ejection fraction and RV longitudinal strain than non-TAP group (all P < 0.001). At 1-year follow-up, TAP group had improved RV geometry and function. While adverse changes were observed in non-TAP group. In analysis of variance, the above indices demonstrated significant interaction with different treatment group (all P < 0.001). In multivariate regression analysis, independent of age and Maze procedure, concomitant TAP was associated with postoperative RV volume reduction (P < 0.001), improvement of RV ejection fraction (P < 0.001), and relieved postoperative functional TR severity (P = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that concomitant TAP could improve RV remodeling and function for rheumatic mitral valve disease patients, while those with mild preoperative functional TR who had isolated MVR might experience RV dilation and deterioration of RV function at follow-up. Concomitant surgery for functional TR could be considered for patients undergoing MVR with rheumatic mitral valve disease. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12947-021-00245-2.