Surgical Management of Carcinoid Heart Disease

Two female patients with carcinoid heart disease, ages 56 and 32 years, underwent pulmonic valve resection surgery and tricuspid valve replacement with a porcine bioprosthesis. Preoperatively, both patients were in function class 4 with severe right-side congestive failure and signs of tricuspid regurgitation and pulmonic stenosis. Both underwent surgery for porcine tricuspid valve replacement (33 and 31 mm valves) and pulmonic valve resection. Postoperatively, both patients had only minimal symptoms, including trace ankle edema and soft pulmonic murmurs, despite persistence of the systemic symptoms of carcinoid syndrome. Pre- and postoperative catheterization data documented hemodynamic improvements. One patient eventually died of hepatic failure due to metastatic disease. At autopsy, her bioprosthesis was free of carcinoid valvular changes.