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Cardiac involvement is a well-known complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which can involve most cardiac components, including pericardium, conduction system, myocardium, heart valves, and coronary arteries. Libman-Sacks (verrucous) endocarditis is the characteristic cardiac valvular manifestation. Although isolated tricuspid valve involvement is quite rare, we report a patient with SLE who had tricuspid stenosis caused by Libman-Sacks endocarditis. The patient underwent successful commisurotomy and Kay annuloplasty on the tricuspid valve under cardiopulmonary bypass.

A 33-year-old woman was referred to our echocardiography laboratory because of loud murmur at the apex. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography (TTE and TEE) showed a mass involving the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve. Real time three-dimensional TEE (RT3D TEE) images clearly showed the nodular, irregular and large size of the mass. Based on her laboratory findings and the echocardiographic appearance of the mass, Libman-Sacks endocarditis was prediagnosed. In intraoperative inspection, a large nodular tumor was shown on the atrial side of the anterior mitral valve leaflet. In this case, RT3D TEE is better than all echocardiographic imaging modalities in evaulating vegetation of Libman-Sacks endocarditis.

Libman–Sacks endocarditis (LSE) is a common manifestation of valve disease in antiphospholipid syndrome. Mitral valve LSE is characterized by verrucous vegetations on the atrial surfaces of valve leaflets. In this report, mitral valve LSE was visualized by real time 3D transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). 3D TEE provides a unique en face view of the mitral valve akin to a surgical or autopsy view that allows for an accurate determination of the size, shape, and location of the vegetations. (Echocardiography 2012;29:E100-E101)