Tricuspid Valve Disease

Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation

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In this condition, the valve does not close properly and blood flows back into the right atrium. It is often associated with or due to an enlarged right ventricle. The most common reason for leakage of this valve is high pulmonary pressures caused by a damaged mitral valve. This enlargement may also be related to a severe, long-standing lung disorder, such as emphysema or pulmonary hypertension, or by a narrowing of the pulmonary valve (pulmonary stenosis). When the right ventricle enlarges and thickens so that it can pump harder, the valve opening stretches.

The most common reason for surgery is tricuspid valve regurgitation (leakage), which can result in:

• blood backing up and staying in the atrium, which may lead to high venous pressures causing severe fluid overload in the extremities, abdomen and internal organs.
• less oxygen-depleted blood going to the lungs to pick up oxygen.
• enlargement of the right ventricle wall, as it works harder to push blood to the lungs, ultimately resulting in right heart failure.

Patients may experience pain in the upper right abdomen and enlargement of the liver. If left untreated, heart valve regurgitation can lead to congestive heart failure, which currently affects nearly five million people in the United States.

Regurgitation may be corrected by inserting a prosthetic ring to reshape an enlarged valve opening. Valve flaps (leaflets) may also be modified so that they do not allow blood to flow backwards. See more information about heart valve repair and replacement at Mayo Clinic.