Neonatal flail tricuspid valve: diagnosis and management.

Abstract

Flail tricuspid valve in the neonate is a rare and often fatal condition requiring early diagnosis and intervention. We report 3 infants born without antenatal signs of cardiovascular compromise. Severe hypoxemia developed within hours of birth due to disruption of the anterior leaflet of the tricuspid valve. Each patient was stabilized and required differing levels of acute care including prostaglandin-E2 alone, prostaglandin-E2 plus nitric oxide and milrinone, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. All patients underwent successful tricuspid valve repair.