Traumatic tricuspid valve incompetence case report

ABSTRACT

Blunt chest trauma can result in a significant cardiothoracic injury. However, isolated tricuspid valve incompetence is an uncommon sequel of such injuries, and may be clinically silent. When symptoms arise, diagnosis is often made by transthoracic and/or transesophageal echocardiography in conjunction with color Doppler and occasionally cardiac catheterization. Treatment is essentially surgical in the form of tricuspid valve repair or replacement. We report here a case of a 32- year-old female, who presented with a recent onset of atrial fibrillation [AF] and a remote history of blunt trauma to her chest. Clinical examination revealed clinical signs of tricuspid regurgitation and right-sided heart failure. Echo-Doppler showed tricuspid valve regurgitation with ruptured chordae. Tricuspid valve replacement using mechanical prosthetic valve was done, as valve repair was not feasible