Structure of the Superior Leaflet of the Tricuspid Valve Transverse Section

Description

Oriented in a transverse section through the right heart, the right atrium lies superior and posterior to the right ventricle, with the tricuspid orifice between them. The superior (anterior) leaflet of the valva tricuspidalis forms a broad cusp along the anterosuperior margin of the atrioventricular junction, its free edge directed inferiorly toward the ventricular cavity. Medial to the leaflet, the septal wall approaches the annulus, while laterally the atrial free wall curves toward the right atrial appendage region. Commissural margins blend into the fibrous ring. A clean geometric cut. This sectional perspective matters because it clarifies how leaflet area, coaptation height, and annular geometry relate to functional tricuspid regurgitation, a problem driven more often by right ventricular and annular dilation than by primary leaflet disease. Surgeons and imagers use this relationship when planning tricuspid annuloplasty, when placing pacemaker or ICD leads across the valve, and when interpreting transesophageal echocardiography or cardiac CT that approximate transverse planes through the atrioventricular junction. Use this illustration in cardiothoracic anatomy teaching to anchor the orientation of the tricuspid leaflet set, in echo or CT correlation figures for journal articles on tricuspidalis morphology, and in operative atlases discussing right atriotomy exposure and ring sizing. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.