Anatomy of the mitral valve.

According to Walmsley, 1 it was Andreas Vesalius who suggested the picturesque term “mitral” to describe the left atrioventricular valve owing to its resemblance to a plan view of the bishop’s mitre. Guarding the inlet to the left ventricle, the mitral valve prevents backflow to the left atrium during ventricular systole. In its open state, the valvar leaflets are like a funnel extending from the hinge line at the atrioventricular junction to the free margins. Tendinous cords attach the leaflets to two closely arranged groups of papillary muscles. The interchordal spaces serve as important pathways for blood flow. As emphasised by Perloff and Roberts, the mitral valve requires all its components, together with the adjacent atrial and ventricular musculature, in order to work properly. This review examines the component parts to provide the background for a better understanding of the mitral valve as seen in cross sectional anatomy and highlights pertinent features of its anomalies.