INTRODUCTION
Functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) can result from enlarged annular area and increased chordal tethering. Annular dilatation is a constant feature and is strongly related to right atrial or ventricle (RV) enlargement1. \soutTricuspid regurgitation (TR) was reported in 33% of men and in 37% of women, respectively2. \soutSevere TR was associated with a very poor prognosis, independently of age, RV dimensions, biventricular function and inferior vena cava size3.
The observation that TR could progress after successful MV replacement or repair2 leaded surgeons to correct even moderate-or-less TR with dilated annulus (>40 mm or >21 mm/m²). The results of surgical TR correction are, however, still flawed, and prophylactic tricuspid annuloplasty remains underused3, being performed in only 10% of patients with MV disease4.
This retrospective study was aimed to evaluate the relationship between preoperative RV remodeling and both late TR recurrence and RV remodeling, so to identify subgroups of patients at higher risk of tricuspid annuloplasty (TA) failure, to adopt different surgical indications and treatment strategies.