Tricuspid valve stenosis is narrowing of the tricuspid valve that leads to the obstruction of blood flow from the right atrial cavity to the right ventricle. Tricuspid valve stenosis causes dyspnea, general weakness, acrocyanosis, and venous congestion in the systemic circulation (edema, ascites, swollen neck veins, heaviness in epigastrium and right hypochondrium).
What you should know about tricuspid valve stenosis
The most common cause of tricuspid valve stenosis is rheumatism. As an isolated valve disease, tricuspid stenosis is extremely rare. In most cases, it is accompanied by aortic or mitral valve defects.
The main symptoms of the heart condition are dyspnea, edema, fluid accumulation in the abdomen (ascites), enlarged liver, and heart pain. The course of the disease, as a rule, is long and, if untreated, leads to death.
A medical diagnosis of tricuspid stenosis is made by a cardiologist after physical examination and cardiac ultrasound. Surgical treatment is indicated to patients with severe forms of the health condition.
How is tricuspid valve stenosis treated?
The first step in tricuspid valve stenosis treatment is therapy of the underlying disease – the cause of tricuspid valve stenosis. Only then the treatment of tricuspid stenosis itself starts. The therapeutic regimen may include conservative therapy and surgical treatment.
Conservative therapy (that is, without surgery) is aimed at reducing blood stasis in the organs. Drugs from the following groups are prescribed for that purpose:
- Diuretics, to remove excess fluid from the body
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, to prevent heart failure
- Nitrates, to dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow
- Potassium preparations, to improve the condition of the heart muscle
As for cardiac surgery, two major methods for tricuspid valve stenosis treatment are used, i.e. surgery for repair and surgery for replacement. In repair surgery, cusps of the valve are corrected. The replacement surgery is performed when there are severe changes in the leaflets, as well as in cases of combination of stenosis with other defects.
In terms of frequency, surgical correction is not performed that often. Usually, it is necessary to replace the valve. The decision about surgical treatment depends largely on the presence and severity of concomitant valve lesions.
A diseased valve can be replaced with a mechanical or biological valve. Although the service life of the mechanical prosthesis is unlimited, the main disadvantage is lifelong anticoagulant therapy, which is connected with hemorrhagic complications. The patient has to take the drugs, which requires constant laboratory monitoring of blood clotting parameters. With biological prostheses, on the other hand, there is no need for drug intake and clotting control, but the service life of the bioprosthesis is limited.
Tricuspid valve stenosis treatment during a lockdown
Cardiac surgery is a technically difficult branch of practical medicine. And it’s only natural that people want to undergo treatment of valve diseases in the best medical facilities out there, and with that many find themselves into the idea of going abroad for treatment.
At the same time, many people are still confused about the lockdown situation. When it comes to treatment abroad during the lockdown, the confusion remains, although its level rises. The truth is that for a person going through the process of treatment arrangement for the first time everything seems overwhelming and a bit too much. However, many people aren’t aware that they don’t have to do it alone.
Booking Health is the most transparent medical tourism company in the world. The company provides services that make the experience of going abroad for treatment pleasant. For example, it’s pretty obvious that you need a visa to travel to most countries. However, during the lockdown, receiving a visa may not be easy. Booking Health will ensure that you get a visa for your treatment. And this is only one of many aspects Booking Health professionally deals with.
Find more information on the tricuspid valve stenosis treatment on the Booking Health official website.
