What Is Mitral Valve Buckling
August 16th, 2007Every once and a while I get stumped. I mean really stumped! Well. Today is one of those days.
I just received an email that I will do my best to answer. However, if you have anything to add, feel free to provide some insight in the comments section of this blog.
The question reads, “What is mitral valve buckling?”
This is the first time I ever heard of mitral valve buckling. So, I did a little research. It appears that mitral valve buckling appears to be directly associated with mitral valve prolapse.
As you can read in this discussion, mitral valve prolapse results when one of the heart valve flaps (also known as a leaflet) moves back into the atrium when the heart beats. This prolapse can let blood flow from the ventricle back into the atrium as shown in the anatomy of the heart.
The phrase “mitral valve prolapse” was popularized due to the rise of echocardiograms.
However, according to “The Echocardiographic Assessment of the Floppy Mitral Valve”, prolapse was first described via angiograms as a buckling motion of the mitral leaflets into the left atrium.
So, unless I’m missing something it appears that mitral valve prolapse and mitral valve buckling are actually one in the same. It is more of a definition issue than anything else.
I hope that helps!
Keep on tickin!
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| About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates clinical research with the personal experiences of 135 former patients to help future patients and their caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here. |
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