Tricuspid Regurgitation Treatment & Management

  • Author: Mary C Mancini, MD, PhD; Chief Editor: Richard A Lange, MD   more...
 
Updated: Sep 27, 2011
 

Medical Care

For patients in whom tricuspid regurgitation is secondary to left-sided heart failure, treatment centers on adequate control of fluid overload and failure symptoms (eg, diuretic therapy).

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Surgical Care

Surgical intervention is indicated when structural deformity of the valve (eg, Ebstein anomaly) exists, when the valve is destroyed by bacterial endocarditis, or when ventricular dilatation is severe and uncontrolled with medical therapy.

Tricuspid regurgitation associated with mitral valve disease and pulmonary hypertension

Patients with mild tricuspid regurgitation do not require intervention.

As pulmonary vascular pressures fall with successful mitral valve therapy, the tricuspid regurgitation tends to disappear.

Severe regurgitation has been successfully treated with tricuspid annuloplasty.

Tricuspid valve replacement for severe tricuspid regurgitation can be performed with an acceptable operative mortality if patients undergo surgery before the onset of advanced heart failure symptoms.[11]

Organic disease of the tricuspid valve

Corrective measures for organic disease of the tricuspid valve usually involve valve replacement. Because of the increased incidence of mechanical prosthetic valve thrombosis in this low-flow position, a bioprosthetic valve is preferable.

Tricuspid valve endocarditis

Total excision of the tricuspid valve without immediate replacement is recommended. The diseased valvular tissue is excised to eradicate the endocarditis, and antibiotic treatment is continued. Most patients tolerate loss of the tricuspid valve well for years.

If right heart failure symptoms persist despite medical management and the infections have been controlled, an artificial valve can be inserted.

Ebstein anomaly

If this anomaly produces symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation, then tricuspid valve repair or replacement is indicated.[12, 13, 14, 1, 15]

Prior tricuspid valve surgery and significant stenosis and/or regurgitation of a bioprosthetic tricuspid valve or a right atrium to right ventricle (RA-to–RV) conduit

In selected cases, patients who have undergone prior tricuspid valve surgery may be candidates for percutaneous tricuspid valve replacement.[16]

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Mary C Mancini, MD, PhD  Professor and Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport

Mary C Mancini, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American College of Surgeons, American Surgical Association, Phi Beta Kappa, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and Southern Surgical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Martin Keane, MD, FACC, FAHA  Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Martin Keane, MD, FACC, FAHA is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, American Heart Association, American Society of Echocardiography, Pennsylvania Medical Society, and Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Ronald J Oudiz, MD, FACP, FACC, FCCP  Professor of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine; Director, Liu Center for Pulmonary Hypertension, Division of Cardiology, LA Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

Ronald J Oudiz, MD, FACP, FACC, FCCP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Cardiology, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, and American Thoracic Society

Disclosure: Actelion Grant/research funds Clinical Trials + honoraria; Encysive Grant/research funds Clinical Trials + honoraria; Gilead Grant/research funds Clinical Trials + honoraria; Pfizer Grant/research funds Clinical Trials + honoraria; United Therapeutics Grant/research funds Clinical Trials + honoraria; Lilly Grant/research funds Clinical Trials + honoraria; LungRx Clinical Trials + honoraria; Bayer Grant/research funds Consulting

Amer Suleman, MD  Private Practice

Amer Suleman, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, American Institute of Stress, American Society of Hypertension, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Royal Society of Medicine, and Society of Cardiac Angiography and Interventions

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Richard A Lange, MD  Professor and Executive Vice Chairman, Department of Medicine, Director, Office of Educational Programs, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Richard A Lange, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and Association of Subspecialty Professors

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author Frank Sheridan, MD to the development and writing of this article.

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