Current Treatment Strategies for Tricuspid Regurgitation

Tricuspid regurgitation is common; however, recognition and diagnosis, clinical outcomes, and management strategies are poorly defined. Here, we will describe the etiology and natural history of tricuspid regurgitation (TR), evaluate existing surgical outcomes data, and review the evolving field of percutaneous interventions to treat TR.

Previously, the only definitive corrective therapy for TR was surgical valve repair or replacement which is associated with significant operative mortality. Advances in percutaneous valve repair techniques are now being translated to the tricuspid valve. These novel interventions may offer a lower-risk alternative treatment in patients at increased surgical risk. Significant TR adversely impacts survival. Surgery remains the only proven therapy for treatment of TR and may be underutilized due to mixed outcomes data. Early experience with percutaneous interventions is promising, but large clinical experience is lacking. Further study will be required before these therapies are introduced into broader clinical practice.