Comparison of Beating-Heart Technique Versus Aortic Cross-Clamping in Tricuspid Valve Surgery

OBJECTIVE
Tricuspid valve surgery can be performed on a beating heart or a heart in arrest. Here, we aimed to compare the outcomes of tricuspid valve surgery between two different approaches.

METHODS
Between January 2015 and February 2020, 204 patients underwent tricuspid valve surgery andconcomitant cardiac surgical procedures were included to the study. Techniques of cross-clamping and beating heart tricuspid surgery were performed to 103 and 101 patients, respectively. Results of the preoperative, postoperative early period and postoperative 6th month were compared between the groups.

RESULTS
There were no differences in demographic characteristics and preoperative grade of tricuspid valve regurgitation between the groups. Duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit and hospitalization were significantly lower in patients operated by using beating heart technique. Re-exploration surgery and mortality rates were also significantly lower in beating heart group. Postoperative sixth month echocardiography findings related to tricuspid valve regurgitation, maximum and minimum gradients of the tricuspid valve and pulmonary arterial pressure were lower in beating heart group.

CONCLUSION
Beating heart tricuspid valve surgery can be preferred to cross-clamping technique in order to avoid clamp-induced ischemia that may lead to worsening postoperative results.