Two-dimensional echocardiographic recognition of ruptured chordae tendineae.
Real-time, phased-array, two-dimensional echocardiographic studies identified ruptured chordae tendineae in five patients: four patients had a flail mitral valve and one had flail mitral and tricuspid valves. The characteristic abnormality was a rapid systolic motion of the involved leaflet beyond the line of valve closure into the atrium. The maximal abnormal systolic motion was greatest at the tip of the leaflet with a loss of the normal coaptation point. By contrast, the two-dimensional echocardiographic feature of mitral valve prolapse is an abnormal systolic motion that is maximal in the body of the leaflet with intact leaflet coaptation. Thus, two-dimensional echocardiography can identify flail mitral and tricuspid valves and is useful in distinguishing ruptured chorade from valvular prolapse.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002815:Chordae Tendineae / Q000293:injuries*; D004452:Echocardiography; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000473:pathology; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis; D012421:Rupture; D014262:Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis