Ebsteins anomaly of the tricuspid valve overview

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] and Claudia P. Hochberg, M.D. [2]

Associate Editor-In-Chief: Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [3]

Overview

Ebstein's anomaly is a congenital heart defect in which the opening of the tricuspid valve is displaced towards the apex of the right ventricle of the heart (congenital apical displacement of the tricuspid valve that typically causes significant tricuspid regurgitation).

The annulus of the valve is in normal position. The valve leaflets however, are to a varying degree attached to the walls and septum of the right ventricle. There is subsequent atrialization of a portion of the morphologic right ventricle (which is then contiguous with the right atrium). This causes the right atrium to be large and the anatomic right ventricle to be small in size. 50% of cases involve an atrial shunt (either a PFO or an ASD).