What Is Mitral Valve Buckling?
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page Last Updated: July 16, 2025
Every once and a while I get stumped by a patient question. Sometimes, I get really stumped. 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 patient question reads, “Hi Adam, What is mitral valve buckling? Thanks!”
So you know, 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 post, mitral valve prolapse results when one of the heart valve flaps (also known as a mitral valve 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 picture of the anatomy of the heart below.
The phrase “mitral valve prolapse” was popularized due to the rise of echocardiograms to diagnose heart valve disease. However, according to research articles, including “The Echocardiographic Assessment of the Floppy Mitral Valve”, prolapse was first described during angiograms as a “buckling motion” of the mitral leaflets into the left atrium.
An additional reference to mitral valve buckling is noted in an article published at the National Library of Medicine, “Ventricular buckling: a factor in the abnormal ventriculogram and peculiar hemodynamics associated with mitral valve prolapse”, which states, “Abnormal intraventicular flow may probably result from associated prolapse of the anterior leaflet and from buckling of the papillary sties toward the mitral annulus.”
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. Hope that helps!
Related Links:
- Mitral Valve Prolapse: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
- Mitral Leaflets: Top 7 Facts Patients Should Know
Keep on tickin!
Adam
Written by Adam Pick
- Patient & Website Founder
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janice spiak says on November 24th, 2010 at 12:19 am |
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Hi, I need heart valve surgery. Unfortunately, I’m 63 yrs. old with diabetes and other health issues, making the surgery a much greater risk but the greater risk of course is not having the surgery. is their anyone my age w/ other health risks also facing the need of this surgery? any Info. would be grestly appreciated. Congrats on your recovery. Thanks, Janice |
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Dr. Rahul Agarwal says on August 5th, 2011 at 2:20 pm |
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hi.. my friend got a 2d echo report saying AMV buckling and everything else normal.. she got ASO titres raised,, and no other lab abnormality… fever present with pains and swelling og only palms and foot with no major joint involvement… please comment on this… |
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Bessie Story says on August 5th, 2011 at 4:06 pm |
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At the age of 68 I had mitral valve replacement. So far, so good, thanks be to God! |
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trivendra says on March 11th, 2013 at 4:14 pm |
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Hi , i am 30 yrs old guy from india . and having pain in my left arm and hand. my echo were done three times ……in the interval fo 6-6 months first two were ok. but in third was no normal . so tell me is this a serious issue ……at the time of test i was so worried so …..this might be because of that. test may be ok if i go under echo again ? was are the possibility? tell me the future care so that i can live life without faer of heart issue? thnx |
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