Tricuspid Valve Disease

Overview

Mayo Clinic is one of the largest and most experienced medical centers in the country for treatment of tricuspid valve disease. Heart surgeons at Mayo Clinic have extensive experience and expertise in diagnosing and treating damaged tricuspid heart valves. Patients also benefit from Mayo Clinic's state-of-the-art facilities, leading-edge medical treatment, and access to appropriate clinical trials and new treatments for tricuspid valve defects.

Diagnosis

Various tests can help diagnose the heart valve problem, the possible cause of a heart valve defect, determine how serious the problem is and whether the tricuspid valve needs to be surgically repaired or replaced. Read more about tricuspid valve disease diagnosis.

Treatment Options

Treatment of a damaged tricuspid valve depends on the type and severity identified in the diagnosis. The Mayo Model of Care emphasizes an integrated, collaborative team approach to provide the best possible care for each patient.

Tricuspid valves rarely require surgery. Patients with mild to moderate tricuspid valve defect who have no symptoms may be recommended for careful monitoring through regular medical checkups. Patients may be treated with a variety of medications. For patients who require heart valve surgery, the cardiac surgeons at Mayo Clinic have a strong record of excellence in tricuspid heart valve repair and replacement. Read more about tricuspid valve disease treatment options.

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About Tricuspid Valve Disease

Damage to the tricuspid heart valve most often occurs in conjunction with other heart valve problems, particularly with mitral valve disorders. This is secondary to increased pulmonary pressure caused by a narrow or leaking mitral valve. While the majority of heart valve operations involve repair or replacement of the mitral or aortic valves located on the left side of the heart, the tricuspid and pulmonary valves on the right side of the heart can also become defective and require surgery.

There are two types of tricuspid valve disease:

Tricuspid valve regurgitation
In this condition, the valve does not close properly and blood flows back into the heart's upper right chamber (right atrium). It is often associated with or due to an enlarged right ventricle (the heart's lower right chamber). Read more about tricuspid valve regurgitation.

Tricuspid valve stenosis
A tricuspid valve that is narrowed or stiffened (stenotic) decreases the amount of blood that can flow through it. Read more about tricuspid valve stenosis.