Tricuspid Valve Disease

Tricuspid valve disease can leave you feeling fatigued and short of breath. Or, you might not be feeling any symptoms when you're diagnosed. It's often found when you're getting tested for other conditions. Finding out you have tricuspid valve disease can leave you with a lot of questions about your future.

Why Choose UVA Health for Tricuspid Valve Treatment?

At UVA Health, you have options. Besides the traditional open-heart procedures, we also offer ways to help you avoid a major surgery. 

Our Structural Heart and Valve Center is one of the few places in the U.S. that offers this range of less-invasive procedures for heart valve treatment. And, 5 of our heart, vein, and artery treatments received the highest possible rating from U.S. News & World Report. 

Treating Tricuspid Valve Disease at UVA Health

For mild tricuspid valve disease issues, you may not need treatment. Doctors may decide to wait and observe. But if the symptoms have become severe, then it may be time for a procedure or surgery. 

How we treat your tricuspid valve disease depends on the specific condition and how bad the symptoms are.

If you have a condition that is causing your tricuspid valve disease, treating that with medicines or other techniques usually helps your tricuspid disease. If your tricuspid valve itself needs treatment, we have several options.

Procedures & Surgery

Balloon Valvuloplasty

This procedure treats tricuspid stenosis. We use a thin tube called a catheter to send a balloon to your valve. Expanding the balloon increases blood flow through the valve.

Surgery

You may need surgery to repair the valve itself or to fully replace it. Unfortunately, if the tricuspid valve needs to be repaired, it’s likely the pulmonary valve does as well. 

The tricuspid valve can usually be fixed by putting in a semi-rigid ring. If the pulmonary valve also needs replacing, it's typically done with a bioprosthetic valve that can last more than 20 years.

Types of Tricuspid Valve Disease

The tricuspid valve is found on the right side of your heart. Three flaps, called leaflets, make up the valve. These control the direction and flow of blood through the tricuspid valve. 

You may be born with tricuspid valve disease. Or, several conditions can also cause it:

• Infection in your heart
• Marfan syndrome
• Lupus or other autoimmune diseases
• High blood pressure in your lungs
• Tumors

The three main types of tricuspid valve disease are tricuspid regurgitation, tricuspid stenosis, and tricuspid atresia. 

Tricuspid Regurgitation

Tricuspid regurgitation is also called tricuspid insufficiency. The valve doesn't close all the way. This allows a small amount of blood to flow backward into the right atrium from the right ventricle of your heart. 

Very mild tricuspid regurgitation is common. Mild regurgitation isn't a problem and may even be a normal variation of the heart muscle. But severe regurgitation can cause heart damage and needs to be treated. 

Ebstein's anomaly is a rare condition that you may be born with. It also causes regurgitation. The tricuspid valve doesn't form the right way and so doesn't work properly. If you have this, you likely have other heart conditions, too.

Tricuspid Stenosis 

Tricuspid stenosis is very rare. In tricuspid stenosis, the valve is too narrow or stiff. This reduces blood flow between the atrium and ventricle. 

Tricuspid Atresia

Tricuspid atresia is a condition you're born with (a congenital heart defect). With tricuspid atresia, a solid piece of tissue develops instead of a valve.

When the right side of the heart isn’t formed correctly, it’s called hypoplastic right heart syndrome. This can be fixed over time with a series of surgeries.