Topic Reviews A-Z
Pulmonic Valve Regurgitation
Pulmonic valve regurgitation occurs when blood leaks abnormally backward from the pulmonary artery through the pulmonic valve into the right ventricle. This can result in right heart failure.
Pulmonic valve regurgitation is relatively rare and can occur from pulmonic annular dilation (from pulmonary hypertension or other causes of right ventricular dilation), damage to the pulmonic valve leaflets (i.e. after pulmonic valvuloplasty) or congenital pulmonic valve abnormalities.
Pulmonic regurgitation produces a murmur that is often indistinguishable from that of aortic regurgitation. Pulmonic regurgitation produces a soft, high-pitched, early diastolic decrescendo murmur heard best at the pulmonic listening post (left upper sternal border). The murmur of pulmonic regurgitation increases in intensity during inspiration, unlike that of aortic regurgitation. The murmur of pulmonic regurgitation is classically referred to as the "Graham-Steell murmur" after it's initial describers.
Pulmonic valve replacement is rarely needed and is the only definite treatment for this disorder.