3D echocardiographic quantification in functional mitral regurgitation.

o a i “ l f o t i o Functional mitral regurgitation typically occurs in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and is independently associated with excessive morbidity and mortality (1–8). In functional mitral regurgitation, it has been demonstrated that abnormal mitral valve kinematics result from a restriction of leaflet closure as a result of enhanced apical tethering of the mitral valve leaflets due to displaced papillary muscles, dilation of the mitral annulus, and reduced closing force of the leaflets without primary valve leaflet pathology.