Should TAPSE Score be in the Forefront Following the Tricuspid Valve Replacement?

Aim: Tricuspid valve diseases are generally affected from rheumatismal diseases and it emerges by regurgitation. In our study, we aimed to search both the situation and importance of Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE) score during the follow-up of patients who had undergone tricuspid valve replacement. Material and Method: Between the years of 2011-2013, the patients who were done tricuspid valve replacement have been evaluated retrospectively. Our group was made up of re-operated patients and the ones that were operated for the first time. TAPSE score, clinical classification of New York Heart Association (NYHA), Mean Pulmonary Artery Pressure (MPAP), ejection fractions, echocardiographic measure parameters were checked and their correlations with clinical conditions, were evaluated. Results: During the follow-up of these patients post operatively, functional capacity (before the operation 3.31±0.63; 1.83±0.83), TAPSE score (pre-operation 17.38±3.15mm; 12.53±4.8mm), MPAP (pre-operation 35,53±14,72 mmHg; 30.3±11.2 mmHg) values were evaluated. In the values of NYHA and MPAP, marked clinical improvement was detected in parallel with clinical situation; the decline in score of TAPSE was observed contrary to clinical and the other parameters. Discussion: Although the TAPSE score is important in defining the mortality and morbidity before the operation, we observed that it is no such of an importance in the follow-up of patients who had tricuspid valve replacement. We think that, for the follow-up of these patients who had tricuspid valve replacement, clinic condition and other parameters should be in the forefront, however the score should be evaluated in the background