Impact of Tricuspid Valve Surgery at the Time of Left Ventricular Assist Device Insertion on Postoperative Outcomes

The authors perform a meta-analysis of the limited studies available on the utility of tricuspid valve surgery in patients with significant TR at the time of LVAD implantation.  No RCTs are available on this issue; however, six observational studies were analyzed by the group.  The analysis reveals that, although the addition of TV surgery clearly increases the cardiopulmonary bypass time, no conclusions are warranted regarding the efficacy or safety of TV surgery in these patients.  The jury remains out on this controversial issue.