Tricuspid plug for functional tricuspid regurgitation: an invitro study
YANG Mengxu1,2, WANG Hao1, JING Teng1, ZHOU Zhongxi1, WANG Kun1, HE Zhaoming3*
1. National Research Center of Pumps, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China; 2. Department of Clincial Medical Engineering, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China; 3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, USA
Abstract：To investigate the hemodynamic performance of tricuspid plugs and evaluate its performance, 8 fresh porcine tricuspid valves were mounted in a right heart simulator to simulate the functional tricuspid regurgitation by two pathological models by 50% and 75% annular dilatation. Two tricuspid plugs in diameters of 20 mm and 25 mm(noted as TP20 and TP25)were made by 3D prin-ter, and separately tested in pulsatile and steady flow experiments. The integral of transvalvular pressure, cardiac output, regurgitation volume, closing volume, leakage volume, forward and regurgitant effective orifice area were measured and analyzed before and after the plug repair. The results show that after the repair of tricuspid valve with plug, the integral of transvalvular pressure improves by 30%-100%, the regurgitation volume reduces by 42%-47%, and the effective orifice area and regurgitant effective orifice area reduce by 37%-74%. The cardiac output increases by 43%-47% under 75% annulus dilation. The integral of transvalvular pressure and the effective orifice area of TP25 is 9%-16% lower and the regurgitation volume is 29% greater than that of TP20 under 50% annulus dilation. The effective orifice area and the regurgitant effective orifice area of TP25 is 15%-17% lower than that of TP20 under 75% annulus dilation, and other data showed no difference. The tricuspid plug is effective to reduce tricuspid regurgitation. The repair effect of TP20 is better than that of TP25 under 50% annulus dilation. There is no difference between the two plugs′ performances under 75% annulus dilation.
