Percutaneous treatment of tricuspid valve in refractory right heart failure

The renewed interest in tricuspid valve pathology is a consequence of the high mortality rate associated with this valve dysfunction, mostly functional, and secondary to left ventricular impairment, or pulmonary hypertension. Despite the clear relationship between tricuspid insufficiency and mortality, surgical treatment is offered to a small group of patients, due to the significant in-hospital mortality secondary also to the multiple comorbidities and the advanced stage of left ventricular dysfunction. During the last few years, new therapeutic options have been developed for the percutaneous treatment of tricuspid insufficiency which, albeit still in the experimental phase, provides an alternative to surgery in patients at very high-risk or frankly inoperable. We will describe the various percutaneous therapeutic options available today, and their potential application to clinical practice.