Anatomic study of the tricuspid valve in children

We performed an anatomic study of the right atrioventricular valve in child ren under one year of age using a conservative method of dissection of the heart valve. The main aspects studied were the number of cusps and their mo rphometric characteristics, such as the width of the base and the depth of the cusps. Other parameters studied were the number of papillary muscles, n umber of tendinous cords, and diameter of the fibrous ring and the last one were divided in three regions, anterior, posterior and septal for localiza tion of cusps. Our results showed that the number of cusps varied from two to four. Three cusps was the commonest finding and the fourth cusp, if pres ent, was classified as anterolateral in location. The anterior and septal c usps had bases bigger than those of the posterior and anterolateral cusps; the septal cusp was deeper than the others; and the number of tendinous cor ds was greater for the anterior and septal cusps than for the posterior and anterolateral cusps. In addition, the posterior region showed great variab ility: in 35.7% it was occupied by undeveloped valve tissue and the posteri or valve in these cases was located anteriorly.