Tricuspid regurgitation after orthotopic heart transplantation.

Background: Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a relatively common abnormality in normal adults as well as after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). A few studies have shown reduction in the incidence of TR after OHT by total bicaval surgical anastomosis technique. Other studies reported no significant difference in the rates of TR between the standard and bicaval techniques.
Objective: Evaluate and compare the degree of TR after OHT by standard and bicaval anastomosis techniques.
Method: Echocardiograms from the first 56 consecutive patients that had the total bicaval surgical technique performed were retrospectively reviewed and compared with the last 57 consecutive patients who had the standard biatrial technique performed. Patients with adequate two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiograms were included.
Results: No statistical difference was observed for each grade of TR at both early and late time points. No significant difference was observed between the TR velocities of both biatrial and bicaval anastomosis patients at different periods.
Conclusion: There appears to be no difference between the TR severity and TR velocity at early and late time points regardless of anastomotic technique.