Clinical case of severe tricuspid valve regurgitation development in a patient after pacemaker implantation
Implantable antiarrhythmic devices can be the cause of tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) development or may worsen existing TR. Mild or moderate TR is frequently observed in such group of patients. Severe TR is very rare. Pacemaker (PM) leads tend to stimulate an inflammatory response leading to fibrosis and adhesions between valve tissues and leads. The consequence of such contact could be mild or moderate TR. Usually the cause of severe TR is the damage of tricuspid valve structures by ventricle lead. A 41 years old patient was admitted to department with severe TR after PM implantation due to tricuspid valve damage by ventricle lead. TR was the cause of heart failure resistant to medical therapy and atrial fibrillation which led to stroke; so the need arose for tricuspid valve replacement.