Tricuspid Valve - Diseases

Diseases

Tricuspid regurgitation is not uncommon in the tricuspid valve.

It is common for a valve to be infected (endocarditis) in IV drug users. Patients who inject narcotics or other drugs intravenously may introduce infection, which will travel to the right side of the heart, most often caused by S. aureus. In other patients without a history of intravenous exposure, endocarditis is more frequently left-sided.

The tricuspid valve can be affected by rheumatic fever, which can cause tricuspid stenosis or tricuspid insufficiency (also called tricuspid regurgitation). Some patients are born with congenital abnormalities of the tricuspid valve. Congenital apical displacement of the tricuspid valve is called Ebstein's anomaly and typically causes significant tricuspid regurgitation.

The first endovascular tricuspid valve implant was performed by surgeons at the Cleveland Clinic.

• Front of thorax, showing surface relations of bones, lungs (purple), pleura (blue), and heart (red outline). Heart valves are labeled with "B", "T", "A", and "P".

• Apical view of valves