Tricuspid valve

Tricuspid valve is a valve in the heart that lies between the right atrium and the right ventricle. The tricuspid valve functions as a one-way valve that closes during ventricular systole to prevent the backflow of blood from the right ventricle into the right atrium.

Anatomy

The tricuspid valve typically has three leaflets, named the anterior, posterior, and septal leaflets. These leaflets are connected to the papillary muscles in the right ventricle by the chordae tendineae, which prevent the valve from inverting.

Function

The primary function of the tricuspid valve is to prevent backflow of blood from the right ventricle into the right atrium during ventricular systole. When the right ventricle is relaxed (diastole), the tricuspid valve opens to allow blood to flow from the right atrium into the right ventricle.

Clinical significance

Diseases of the tricuspid valve can generally be classified into tricuspid stenosis and tricuspid regurgitation. Tricuspid stenosis is a condition in which the tricuspid valve is narrowed, causing reduced blood flow from the right atrium to the right ventricle. Tricuspid regurgitation is a condition in which the tricuspid valve does not close properly, causing blood to leak back into the right atrium when the right ventricle contracts.

See also

• Heart valve
• Mitral valve
• Pulmonary valve
• Aortic valve

References

Tricuspid valve Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? WikiMD's DocFinder can help find general and specialist physicians.	Latest articles Most recent articles Ongoing trials.