Ventricular vortex loss analysis due to various tricuspid valve repair techniques: an ex vivo study

The deteriorating nature of severe functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) has led to the heightened interest in this pathology. However, therapies are heterogeneous and an ideal technique is uncertain. The hemodynamic impact on the cardiac chamber following therapeutic repairs has not been well studied, while its analysis could be used to predict the treatment success. In this study, the hemodynamics of the right ventricle (RV) after 1) clover edge-to-edge tricuspid repair, and 2) double orifice tricuspid repair was evaluated in three right heart models using an ex vivo pulsatile platform emulating severe FTR with the aid of stereoscopic particle image velocimetry. Although all repairs substantially reduced tricuspid regurgitant area, they resulted in a more than 50% reduction in diastolic tricuspid valve (TV) opening area. Splitting the TV orifice into multiple smaller orifices by both repairs eliminated the ring-shaped vortical structure inside the RV observed in FTR cases. Postrepair RV domain was mostly occupied with irregular vortical features and isolated vortex residuals. Moreover, vortical features varied among repair samples, indicating enhanced sensitivity of RV flow to postrepair TV morphology. Compared with clover repair, double orifice subjected the RV to enhanced swirling motions and exposed more regions to vortical motions, potentially indicating better rinsing and lower risk of mural thrombus formation. Double orifice repair increased the levels of RV mean kinetic energy and viscous energy loss than those observed in clover repair, although the impact of these on the cardiac efficiency remains unclear. These preliminary insights could be used to improve future treatment design and planning. NEW & NOTEWORTHY While clover and double orifice tricuspid repairs markedly improved leaflet coaptation, they substantially reduced diastolic tricuspid opening area. Postrepair right ventricle (RV) exhibited specific hemodynamic traits, including the loss of ring-shaped vortical structure and the enhanced sensitivity of RV flow to postrepair tricuspid valve morphology. Compared with clover technique, double orifice repair led to higher swirling motions in the RV domain, which could indicate lower risk of mural thrombus formation.