What is the most common cause of tricuspid stenosis?

What is the most common cause of tricuspid stenosis?

• A. Rheumatic disease
• B. Calcific degeneration
• C. Infective endocarditis
• D. Traumatic injury

Answer: (A)

Rheumatic heart disease is the most common cause of tricuspid stenosis. Chronic rheumatic valvulitis thickens the valve leaflets and fuses the commissures, which narrows the orifice and impedes diastolic filling of the right ventricle. This process often affects multiple valves, especially the mitral valve, so tricuspid involvement happens within the same rheumatic disease pattern, making stenosis a frequent consequence. Other causes are far less common for producing true tricuspid stenosis. Calcific degeneration tends to affect left-sided valves more and rarely causes significant narrowing of the tricuspid. Infective endocarditis damages valve tissue with vegetations and scarring that more commonly lead to regurgitation rather than fixed stenosis. Carcinoid syndrome can stiffen right-sided leaflets, but it most often results in tricuspid regurgitation, with stenosis being a less typical presentation. Traumatic injury is a rare mechanism for tricuspid stenosis. So the presence of rheumatic disease best explains why tricuspid stenosis develops most frequently.

Rheumatic heart disease is the most common cause of tricuspid stenosis. Chronic rheumatic valvulitis thickens the valve leaflets and fuses the commissures, which narrows the orifice and impedes diastolic filling of the right ventricle. This process often affects multiple valves, especially the mitral valve, so tricuspid involvement happens within the same rheumatic disease pattern, making stenosis a frequent consequence.

Other causes are far less common for producing true tricuspid stenosis. Calcific degeneration tends to affect left-sided valves more and rarely causes significant narrowing of the tricuspid. Infective endocarditis damages valve tissue with vegetations and scarring that more commonly lead to regurgitation rather than fixed stenosis. Carcinoid syndrome can stiffen right-sided leaflets, but it most often results in tricuspid regurgitation, with stenosis being a less typical presentation. Traumatic injury is a rare mechanism for tricuspid stenosis.

So the presence of rheumatic disease best explains why tricuspid stenosis develops most frequently.