Tricuspid Valve Repair India

Types of Tricuspid Valve Repair India

Tricuspid Valve Replacement or Repair?

Though there are two options available to treat this disease - Tricuspid valve replacement and Tricuspid valve repair. However, valve repair is the preferred choice due to the lower risk of infection. The surgeon suggests Tricuspid valve repair or replacement after analyzing many things, including:

01. The severity of the disease

02. Patients age and health

03. Any other heart problem that requires surgery so that both diseases can be treated at once

Advantages of Repair

01. Lower risk of infection

02. No need to take blood thinners

03. Longer survival rate

04. Better results than replacement

05. Lower chances of blood clots

Types of Tricuspid Valve Repair Surgery

There are two different tricuspid valve repair surgeries - traditional or minimally invasive. Surgeons will analyze the overall medical condition and the severity of valve disease before suggesting any surgery.

01. Traditional Tricuspid Valve Repair Surgery

02. Minimally invasive valve repair surgery

Procedure

Before the Procedure

The doctor and medical team will explain to the patient what to expect from the surgery and the risks of the surgery. On the day of surgery, avoid wearing jewellery, eyeglasses, contact lenses, dentures, and nail polish.

During the Procedure

The patient will receive anesthetics and he will be unconscious during the surgery. A heart-bypass machine is used for the blood flow in the body. The repair procedures may involve different types of repair, including:

01. Traditional Tricuspid Valve Repair Surgery

This is an open-heart procedure which means the cardiothoracic surgeon makes a 6 to 8 inch long incision in the breastbone to open the chest. The heart is stopped during this surgery and the heart-lung bypass machine works as a heart. This machine circulates blood through the patient's body. Depending on the valve problem, a doctor can perform different repair procedures on torn leaflets and reshape parts of the valve or separate leaflets that have narrowed or fused. These procedures can be Annulus support or Leaflet patching.

In the Annulus support procedure, a synthetic or tissue-based ring to reinforce the annulus. The annulus is the ring of tissue at the bottom of leaflets. With this procedure, the annulus is restored to the right size and shape which allows leaflets to close and open normally. It is the preferred surgical approach to treat tricuspid regurgitation. In Leaflet patching, the surgeon repairs the diseased leaflet with a patch to control the leakage in the valve. It is used to treat tricuspid valve regurgitation.

02. Minimally Invasive Tricuspid Valve Repair Surgery

In minimally invasive surgery, the surgeon makes 2- to 4 J-shaped incisions to open the chest. This type of surgery is not safe for all patients. However, doctors will recommend surgery based on the patient's circumstances and symptoms. The pros of minimally invasive surgery are:

2.1. Less blood loss

2.2. Reduced surgical trauma

2.3. Reduced hospital stay

03. Cone Tricuspid Valve Repair

It is an advanced procedure for tricuspid valve repair. Surgeons separate the leaflets which are then rotated and reattached to leaflet tissue to create leaflet cones.

Diagnosis of Tricuspid Valve Repair India

Symptoms of Tricuspid Valve Disease

The symptoms depend on the severity of the disease. The mild tricuspid valve disease does not cause any symptoms, whereas severe valve disease may cause pulsing in the neck, weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling in ankles and feet. Babies born with this valve disease have blue-tinged skin or lips and may be short of breath and tire easily.

Diagnosis of Tricuspid Valve Disease

It can be detected by a heart specialist if heart sound is abnormal when heard through a stethoscope. It is the first step. For further diagnosis, the doctor may use one of the following tests:

01. Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

02. Chest X-ray

03. Echocardiogram (Echo)

04. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

05. 2D echocardiogram (2D Echo)

06. Computed Tomography (CT) Angiography

07. Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)

08. Cardiac catheterization

Symptoms and Risk factors

Tricuspid Valve Repair Surgery Recovery

After surgery, there will be a tube inserted in a throat to assist breathing by a ventilator. The tube will be removed after a few days or when the patient is able to breathe completely. The required hospital stay after tricuspid valve repair surgery is 5 days, although the hospital stay depends on the procedure done and overall health. The recovery phase continues at home and patients may return to normal activities within 3 to 4 months. Everyday activities such as lifting objects and driving can be resumed after the doctors advice. Patients may need to take prescribed medicines for 6 weeks to 3 months post-surgery.