LONGSTANDING TRAUMATIC TRICUSPID REGURGITATION WITH SEVERE RIGHT-VENTRICULAR FAILURE

A very unusual case of traumatic tricuspid regurgitation is reported, with severe symptoms of right ventricular failure, extreme dilatation of the right heart, echocardiographic and angiographic criteria of maj or tricuspid regurgitation, and severe right ventricular systolic dysf unction. The patient was referred for heart transplantation, on the as sumption that conventional surgery was not possible. After careful eva luation, as the patient had normal pulmonary artery pressure and resis tance, a tricuspid valve was replaced with good surgical outcome.