Tricuspid and Mitral Valve Disease
Increasing and improving heart function and blood flow for people with tricuspid and mitral valve diseases.
Why choose UW Medicine?
Treatment for heart valve disease requires precision and expertise. Using the latest diagnostic and treatment technologies, the expert heart surgeons at the UW Medicine Heart Institute have the expertise to deliver the care your heart needs.
The possibility of open-heart surgery, however, can still be scary. Our team is dedicated to ensuring you receive the best possible care. We’ll walk you through every step of the treatment process, including what to expect and how to take care of your heart. As one of the most trusted heart surgery groups in the Pacific Northwest, you can rest easy knowing you are in good hands.
What is mitral and tricuspid heart valve disease?
Heart valve disease generally means one or more heart valves don’t work properly.
affects the mitral valve in the heart, which is located between the left atrium and left ventricle. The mitral valve helps pump oxygen-rich blood to the body. It has two cusps (flaps) that help control blood flow.
affects the tricuspid valve in the heart, which is located between the right atrium and the right ventricle. The tricuspid valve helps blood move from the heart to the lungs to get oxygen. It has three flaps that help control blood flow. Tricuspid valve disease often occurs with other types of heart valve conditions. For example, some people with mitral valve disease have a higher risk of developing tricuspid valve disease.
There are two common signs of mitral and tricuspid heart valve disease:
(leaking of the valve) occurs when a valve does not close completely, causing blood to flow backward. Regurgitation reduces forward blood flow and can lead to a buildup of blood in the heart, forcing the heart to work harder.
(narrowing of a valve) occurs when the valve opening becomes narrowed, limiting how much blood flows forward. The heart has to pump harder to move blood through the narrowed or stiff valve.
What causes mitral valve and tricuspid valve disease?
Both mitral valve and tricuspid valve disease have similar causes. Some of the most common causes include:
- Rheumatic fever (inflammation caused by a previous, untreated infection)
- Endocarditis (an infection of the heart valves)
- Congenital heart conditions
- Heart failure or cardiomyopathy (conditions where the heart doesn’t pump enough blood to the body)
How is mitral and tricuspid valve disease diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will perform a physical exam and listen to your heart for murmurs (or whooshing sounds your heart makes when blood flows through it). They may also use other tests to confirm if you have an issue with one or more heart valves. These tests include:
Your doctor will guide a catheter (a thin tube) through a blood vessel to your heart. Catheterization allows your doctor to gather more information about your heart and its valves.
Your doctor will use imaging scans of the heart to better see damaged heart valves.
Your doctor may recommend an X-ray to check your lungs and see if your heart is enlarged. A chest X-ray is often used to diagnose mitral valve prolapse (bulging of the valve).
This test is used to assess heart rhythm. Your doctor will put stickers on your chest that measure your heart’s electrical activity.
This type of echocardiogram uses a wand-like device placed in your throat to take images of your heart using sound waves.
This test uses a small device that produces sound waves to take images of your heart. Your doctor will move the device over your chest above the heart. It’s often used to diagnose mitral valve prolapse.
Your doctor will perform an ultrasound while you exercise.
How is mitral and tricuspid valve disease treated?
Several treatment options exist for treating mitral and tricuspid valve disease. Typically, your healthcare provider will start with the least invasive options before recommending open-heart surgery. These procedures might take longer than traditional open-heart surgery, but recovery may be easier.