Tricuspid Valve (Heart, Sagittal Section), Anterior View

Description

Presented in an anterior-facing sagittal cut of the adult male heart, the right atrioventricular orifice is opened to expose the tricuspid valve apparatus. The anterior and septal cusps (leaflets) are seen along the anteroinferior and medial aspects of the annulus, with the septal leaflet smaller and tethered closer to the interventricular septum. Chordae tendineae course inferiorly from the free margins of the cusps to the papillary muscles within the right ventricle, while the right atrium sits superior to the valve and the thicker-walled left ventricle is visible posteriorly across the septum. Scale and asymmetry are the point. That size difference between the septal and anterior cusps matters when you teach or perform tricuspid valve repair, because suture placement along the septal annulus runs near the atrioventricular node and bundle of His at the base of the interatrial septum and membranous interventricular septum. A sagittal section also makes it easier to explain why right ventricular dilation can worsen functional tricuspid regurgitation: the annulus widens and leaflet coaptation fails even when the cusps and chordae are structurally intact. The chordal tethering pattern is easy to follow in this orientation. Use this illustration for gross anatomy and cardiovascular physiology teaching, for cardiology slide decks discussing tricuspid regurgitation and endocarditis, or for surgical and interventional training materials that compare leaflet anatomy before annuloplasty or transcatheter edge-to-edge repair. It also fits textbook figures on cardiac valve morphology where a clear anterior view of the tricuspid cusps and chordae is needed. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.