Tricuspid valve leaflets (anatomy)
There are three tricuspid valve leaflets or cusps, so giving rise to the name of the valve:
- septal
- anterior
- posterior
Points of note:
- during diastole, they project into the ventricle and are widely separated from each other
- each has a central, collagenous lamina fibrosa that is continuous with the fibrous annulus of the valve
- the lamina fibrosa is surrounded by endocardium
- the endocardium is continuous at the edges of the valve on the ventricular side with the chordae tendineae
- individual leaflets are separated by their respective valve commissures, either anteroseptal, posteroseptal or anteroposterior; the commissures can be incomplete leading to fusion of valve leaflets
- the surface of each leaflet is irregular at its edge due to the presence of numerous 'clefts' - most chordae tendinae insert into this roughened zone from the ventricular side of the valve
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