Mitralisklaffens

Mitralisklaffens, known in English as the mitral valve, is the atrioventricular valve that lies between the left atrium and the left ventricle of the heart. The term mitralisklaffens is used in some languages to denote aspects of this valve, including its structure and function. The valve consists of two leaflets—the anterior and posterior—attached to an annulus fibrosus and linked to the left ventricle by chordae tendineae and papillary muscles. These components together form the mitral valve apparatus.

The primary function of the mitral valve is to permit blood to flow from the left atrium into the left ventricle during diastole and to prevent backflow into the atrium during systole. During normal function, the leaflets coapt tightly to seal the orifice when the ventricle contracts, maintaining forward flow and reducing regurgitation.

Common mitral valve diseases include mitral stenosis, mitral regurgitation (in which blood leaks backward into the left atrium), and mitral valve prolapse (a myxomatous degeneration leading to leaflet displacement). Causes vary and can include rheumatic disease, degenerative changes, ischemic heart disease, infectious endocarditis, or congenital factors.

Diagnosis relies on clinical examination and imaging, especially echocardiography with Doppler assessment to evaluate valve anatomy and blood flow. Management depends on severity and symptoms, ranging from medical therapy (diuretics, afterload reduction) to surgical repair or valve replacement. Percutaneous approaches, such as edge-to-edge repair, offer alternatives for certain patients.