The challenge of preoperative quantification of functional tricuspid regurgitation and of right ventricle function: what information is clinically relevant?

Functional or secondary tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is the most common etiology of severe TR in the western world. The presence of functional TR, either isolated or in combination with left heart disease is associated with unfavorable natural history however surgical mortality for isolated tricuspid valve interventions remain higher than for any other single valve surgery. Determining the severity of TR remains a controversial area and will continue to evolve as new techniques for assessing this valve as well as the right ventricle, are investigated. The following review will describe tricuspid anatomy, define echocardiographic views for evaluating tricuspid valve and right heart morphology and function, that are relevant to the pre-procedural assessment of functional TR.