Trikuspid

Trikuspid, in anatomical terms often referred to as the tricuspid valve, is the right atrioventricular valve of the heart. It sits between the right atrium and the right ventricle and functions to ensure one-way blood flow from the atrium to the ventricle during the cardiac cycle. The name derives from Latin roots meaning “three cusps.”

The valve has three leaflets, or cusps: anterior, posterior, and septal. These cusps are attached to an annulus and connected to the right ventricle by chordae tendineae and papillary muscles, typically named anterior, posterior, and septal. During diastole, the leaflets open to allow blood to pass from the right atrium into the right ventricle. In systole, the leaflets close to prevent backflow into the atrium as the ventricle contracts. The tricuspid valve works in concert with the other right-heart structures to maintain efficient pulmonary circulation.

Clinical relevance includes conditions such as tricuspid regurgitation, where the valve fails to close fully and blood leaks backward into the right atrium, and tricuspid stenosis, which narrows the orifice and restricts flow. Causes can be rheumatic disease, infective endocarditis, congenital abnormalities, or functional changes from right ventricular dilation. Ebstein anomaly is a notable congenital disorder involving abnormal displacement of the septal and posterior leaflets.

Diagnosis is typically by echocardiography, with assessment of valve morphology, degree of regurgitation or stenosis, and right heart function. Treatments range from medical management of associated conditions to surgical repair or replacement of the valve, and, in selected cases, transcatheter interventions.