Tricuspid valve
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Tricuspid valve | |
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Anterior (frontal) view of the opened heart. White arrows indicate normal blood flow. (Tricuspid valve labeled at bottom left.) | |
Base of ventricles exposed by removal of the atria. (Tricuspid valve visible at bottom right.) | |
Latin | valva atrioventricularis dextra, valvula tricuspidalis |
Gray's | subject #138 531 |
MeSH | Tricuspid+Valve |
Dorlands/Elsevier | v_02/12843894 |
The tricuspid valve is on the right side of the heart, between the right atrium and the right ventricle. The normal tricuspid valve usually has three leaflets and three papillary muscles. Tricuspid valves may also occur with two or four leaflets, and the number may change during life (Van Pragh, 1998).
Contents |
[edit] Valves
- The largest cusp is interposed between the atrioventricular orifice and the conus arteriosus and is termed the anterior or infundibular cusp.
- A second, the posterior or marginal cusp, is in relation to the right margin of the ventricle.
- A third, the medial or septal cusp, to the ventricular septum.
[edit] Pathology
A small amount of leakage or regurgitation is not uncommon in the tricuspid valve. It is a common valve to be infected (endocarditis) in IV drug users.
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.
[edit] References
- Richard Van Pragh: Cardiac anatomy in A. C. Chang et. al.: Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care, Philadelphia 1998.