A Redundant Tricuspid Valve Leaflet in a 23-Year-Old Female: A Report of a Rare Case and a Literature Review

Abstract

Accessory tricuspid valve (ATV) is a rare cardiac anomaly often associated with other complex cardiac disorders, most commonly tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and ventricular septal defect (VSD), but it can also be an isolated entity. It is usually diagnosed in childhood. It can be asymptomatic and get diagnosed incidentally, but it can also lead to cardiac complications such as right ventricular outflow obstruction (RVOTO) or tricuspid valve regurgitation. Here, we present the case of a 23-year-old woman with an isolated ATV diagnosed on an echocardiogram without symptoms after a physical exam noted a murmur, with a subsequent echocardiogram showing moderate to severe tricuspid valve regurgitation. A literature review was also performed. Only a small number of ATV cases have been reported, most of them diagnosed in childhood and associated with other congenital cardiac anomalies. Most of the cases necessitated surgical intervention, with a portion resulting in fatalities. It is important to understand the diagnosis and morphology of the ATV due to its association with dangerous complications to guide the management of this entity. It is also important to conduct further research to understand the inheritance of this pathology and develop screening and prevention plans.