Pulmonary Valve: Stenosis, Regurgitation and Both

The Pulmonary Valve is the smallest valve of the Heart. It directs blood from the Right Ventricle to the lungs. In this chapter, the pathology involving the Pulmonary Valve is discussed. There are no valves after the Pulmonary Valve up to the lungs and beyond. Since the Pulmonary Veins that carry blood from the lungs to the Left Atrium do not have valves, pressure alterations in the Left Atrium are transmitted to the lungs backward and from the lungs to the Main Pulmonary Artery and the impact is felt by the Pulmonary Valve. Moreover, any alteration of pressure from the Pulmonary Artery to the lungs due to Pulmonary pathology (Cor Pulmonale) is felt by the Pulmonary Valve. Also, Respiratory variations in blood flow are transmitted to the Pulmonary valve. These topics are discussed in this chapter. After reading this chapter, one should be able to know the response of the Pulmonary Valve to the different pathology, grade the severity of the pathology, understand the causes, and the role of Echocardiogram in diagnosing the pathology and know the treatment options.