Rigid Ring Versus Flexible Band for Tricuspid Valve Repair in Patients Scheduled for Mitral Valve Surgery: A Prospective Randomised Study

Tricuspid valve repair for functional regurgitation is effectively performed with different annuloplasty devices. However, it remains unclear whether there are advantages associated with rigid rings compared to flexible bands. This prospective randomised study aimed to compare results of using a flexible band ring versus a rigid ring for functional tricuspid regurgitation in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. A single-centre randomised study was designed to allocate patients with functional tricuspid regurgitation undergoing mitral valve surgery to be treated with a flexible band or rigid ring. These patients were analysed by echocardiographic follow-up. The primary outcome was freedom from recurrent tricuspid regurgitation at 12-months follow-up. Secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality, survival, freedom from tricuspid valve reoperation, right ventricular reverse remodelling, and rate of major adverse events. A total of 308 patients were allocated to receive concomitant tricuspid valve annuloplasty with the flexible band or rigid ring. There was no between-group difference in freedom from recurrent tricuspid regurgitation: 97.3% in Rigid group (95% CI, 93.0–98.8) and 96.2% in the Flexible group (95% CI, 92.0–98.5) at 12-months follow-up (log-rank, p=0.261). Early mortality, survival, freedom from tricuspid valve reoperation, and global right ventricle systolic function were also comparable in both groups of patients. However, the flexible band had advantage in restoring regional right ventricle function (Doppler-derived systolic velocities of the annulus [S], tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion) at 12-months follow-up. Both the rigid ring and flexible band offered acceptable outcomes for functional tricuspid regurgitation correction without significant differences, as assessed at 12-months follow-up.