Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation – Is Heart Valve Surgery Necessary?
Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation begins when one or more of the three valve leaflets fail to close effectively. The medical literature also refers to tricuspid regurgitation as tricuspid incompetence and tricuspid insufficiency, but it is more commonly referred to simply as a leaky heart valve. Fortunately, most regurgitating tricuspid valves require no treatment. They do not progress to the acute symptomatic stages. By far, most people with this valvular disorder go about their lives never knowing about their malfunctioning tricuspid valve. Tricuspid regurgitation is usually caused by heart disorders that enlarge the right ventricle, as the right ventricle enlarges, the tricuspid valve stretches, causing regurgitation. However, less frequently, pacemaker and defibrillator lead extraction complications can cause severe regurgitation of the tricuspid valve. The leads can become entangled in the valve leaflets, or they can, over time, adhere to one of the leaflets. When the lead or leads ar
