Edge-to-edge tricuspid valve repair in hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is known to be a risk factor for mortality in the surgical management of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Concomitant repair for TR should be considered when the TR is moderate to severe to achieve successful Fontan completion. The present case was a 20-month-old girl who was diagnosed with HLHS (mitral atresia and aortic atresia). She underwent a Norwood procedure as the first palliation followed by a Glenn procedure. After that, she gradually developed TR, which progressed to a severe state at the time of the Fontan procedure. An edge-to-edge tricuspid valve repair, in which the anterior and septal leaflets were sutured together, was performed simultaneously with the extracardiac Fontan procedure. Discharge echocardiography revealed that the degree of TR was less than mild. The technique is simple, not time-consuming, and may be an effective adjunct for successful completion of the Fontan procedure in these patients. © 2007 The Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery.