A. Q: What is tricuspid stenosis?
A: Tricuspid stenosis is a rare condition in which a valve in the heart called the tricuspid valve (equivalent to a valve in the heart) does not open sufficiently.
When the heart valves are working properly, they allow blood to flow in only one direction and open sufficiently to allow blood to pass through. Blood flows back from the body into the right atrium (the upper right heart chamber) and later along the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle (the lower right heart chamber).
Note: A heart murmur occurs when the blood flows through the heart or blood vessels loud enough to be heard. The murmur can also be heard under normal conditions and when there is a problem with the heart valves or an abnormality in the direction of blood flow.
Tricuspid stenosis is caused when the tricuspid valve becomes adherent and does not open completely, which can lead to
Insufficient blood regurgitation to the right atrium and to the veins returning to the heart to flow into the right ventricle
Q: What are the symptoms of tricuspid stenosis?
A: Some patients with tricuspid stenosis have no symptoms and are only found to have tricuspid stenosis when a doctor or nurse routinely listens to the heart and hears a heart murmur. (A heart murmur is a heart sound other than a normal heart sound heard during auscultation with a stethoscope.)
Tricuspid stenosis can cause the following symptoms.
Feeling very tired
Abdominal pain (because of swelling of the liver)
Ascites, leg or foot edema
Some patients with tricuspid stenosis will have a combination of other heart valve disease – disease of the mitral valve. Disease of the mitral valve can cause difficulty breathing.
Q: Are there any tests related to tricuspid stenosis?
A: Yes, there is. To check the tricuspid valve for stenosis and its severity, your doctor may ask you to have an echocardiogram (examination of the heart by ultrasound). This test uses ultrasound to create an image of the heart as it beats. The echocardiogram shows the size of the ventricular chambers, how the heart pumps blood, and how well the heart valves are working.
Your doctor may also ask you to have the following tests.
Electrocardiogram (also called ECG or EKG): This test evaluates the electrical activity of the heart.
Chest x-ray: This shows the size of the heart and the heart shadow, and also shows changes in the lungs.
Q: How is tricuspid stenosis treated?
A: Treatment depends on your symptoms and the severity of the disease. If you do not have any symptoms, you may not need any treatment, but your doctor will follow up to see if the degree of tricuspid stenosis gets worse and if you have symptoms.
If you have tricuspid stenosis and are symptomatic, you may need treatment.
Treatment includes
Medications to treat heart disease: This usually includes a class of medications called diuretics. Diuretics relieve the symptoms of edema by increasing the amount of urine.
Operation to open the tricuspid valve: An operation to try to open the narrowed valve by placing a balloon into the narrowed tricuspid valve is called a valve balloon repair.
Surgery: If medications are not effective and valve balloon repair does not work, your doctor may perform surgery to repair or replace the tricuspid valve.