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Question

Please may I have some information on damage to the tricuspid valve?

Answer

The tricuspid valve controls the flow of blood in the heart between the right ventricle and the right atrium. There are two ways in which it can function incorrectly, either because it lets too much blood through, called tricuspid insufficiency or incompetence, or it does not let enough blood through, called stenosis.

Damage may occur after rheumatic heart disease caused by rheumatic fever, or due to birth (congenital) anomalies.

In tricuspid incompetence the valves do not meet properly and there is regurgitation of blood back into the right ventricle from the right atrium every time the heart beats.

This leads to the signs of right heart failure which are swelling of the legs (peripheral oedema), abdominal discomfort, fatigue and loss of weight.

Treatment is of the symptoms, using diuretics, since even severe tricuspid incompetence may be well tolerated for years.

Tricuspid stenosis occurs when the tricuspid orifice is narrowed, obstructing flow from the right atrium to the right ventricle.

Symptoms are similar to those of tricuspid incompetence and treatment is again symptomatic.

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