Transient tricuspid insufficiency of the newborn. Report of a case and further considerations.

A case of transient tricuspid insufficiency in a newborn is reported. Cardiac catheterization performed at the age of two days because of cyanosis and cardiac failure, showed massive tricuspid incompetence, a normal tricuspid valve, increased diastolic volume of both ventricles and depressed left ventricular ejection fraction. The clinical course has been satisfactory and at the age of four months repeated cardiac catheterization showed marked reduction of the size of both ventricles and improved left ventricular function; a small hypokinetic area of the left ventricle and a mild residual tricuspid incompetence, due to incomplete reversibility of the ischemic damage, were also documented. These findings suggest further considerations on therapeutic problems of transient tricuspid insufficiency and its outlook.