Chordae Tendineae of the Mitral Valve on the Left Side of the Heart Displayed in Lateral Arrangement

Description

Viewed from the left lateral aspect, the mitral valve (valva atrioventricularis sinistra) sits between the left atrium superiorly and the left ventricle inferiorly, with the anterior (aortic) and posterior (mural) leaflets separated by the anterolateral and posteromedial commissures. Slender chordae tendineae descend from the free margins and ventricular surfaces of both leaflets to the anterolateral and posteromedial papillary muscles, which project from the left ventricular wall. Primary marginal chordae insert closest to the leaflet edge, while thicker secondary (strut) chordae anchor more basally and align toward the ventricular septum medially and the free wall laterally. Fine cords. Clear attachments. A lateral arrangement emphasizes how papillary muscle contraction maintains leaflet coaptation during systole and prevents prolapse into the left atrium. That relationship becomes clinically concrete in acute ischemic mitral regurgitation, where infarction of the posteromedial papillary muscle (often supplied by the posterior descending artery) can precipitate chordal dysfunction or papillary rupture, producing abrupt pulmonary edema and a new systolic murmur. Degenerative myxomatous disease and fibroelastic deficiency also target these tendinous cords, leading to elongated or ruptured chordae and a flail posterior leaflet, a common mechanism behind late-systolic click murmurs and severe regurgitation. Use this artwork for cardiothoracic anatomy teaching in a gross anatomy lab, an echocardiography module correlating leaflet scallops and chordal insertion patterns, or a surgical text explaining repair concepts such as triangular resection, neochordae placement, and papillary muscle relocation. It also fits cardiology and pathology publications discussing mechanisms of mitral valve prolapse, functional regurgitation, and endocarditis-related chordal destruction. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.