Early Insertion of a Pulmonary Valve for Chronic Regurgitation Helps Restoration of Ventricular Dimensions

Our results show that the improvement in ventricular dimensions and functions directly correlates with the timing of pulmonary valve insertion. Early insertion leads to normalization and late insertion leads only to improvement. These observations, along with a low morbidity for these reoperations, justify earlier reintervention in cases of chronic pulmonary regurgitation. A RV end-diastolic volume index of 150 mL/m2 seems to be a practical cutoff value to prescribe pulmonary valve insertion.