Comparison of the Outcome of Mechanical Versus Biological Prosthetic
Replacement of the Tricuspid Valve in the Ebstein's Anomaly
Abstract
Background: Presently, it is still lack of evidence whether a mechanical
prosthesis is superior or inferior to a biological prosthesis in
patients with Ebstein’s anomaly. The aim of this study was to compare
the long-term results of mechanical and biological prostheses of
patients with Ebstein’s anomaly at two major cardiac surgical centers in
central China. Methods: From January 1999 to June 2020, 85 patients with
Ebstein’s anomaly (mean age: 42 ± 17 years, male to female ratio = 19:
66) underwent tricuspid valve replacement. 22 patients (26%) underwent
mechanical valve implantation, and 63 (74%) were implanted with a
bioprosthesis. Median follow-up duration was 145 months and mean
follow-up duration was 146 ± 13 months. Operative results, long-term
survival, and tricuspid valve-related events were compared. Results:
Eight patients suffered from cardiac failure and died within 30 days
after the surgery. Mechanical prostheses demonstrated a better survival
outcome compared with biological prostheses before (p = 0.043) and after
(p = 0.039) propensity score matching. Tricuspid valve-related events
occurred in 20 patients. There was no statistical significance between
mechanical and biological tricuspid valves before (p = 0.87) and after
(p = 0.91) propensity score matching. Conclusions: Tricuspid valve
replacement for patients with Ebstein’s anomaly is a high-risk operation
and should be cautious, especially for patients with poor conditions.
Although mechanical prostheses demonstrated a better survival outcome
compared with biological prostheses in our study, the selection of
prostheses should be individualized and consider each patient’s
characteristics and needs.