Skip to main content
British Heart Journal logoLink to British Heart Journal
. 1983 Oct;50(4):312–317. doi: 10.1136/hrt.50.4.312

Chordal rupture. I: aetiology and natural history.

D B Oliveira, K D Dawkins, P H Kay, M Paneth
PMCID: PMC481416  PMID: 6626391

Abstract

Between 1970 and 1981, 12% of patients undergoing mitral valve surgery were found to have chordal rupture. Spontaneous or primary rupture accounted for 74.6% of patients (primary group); in the remainder (secondary group) chordal rupture complicated chronic rheumatic valvular disease (8.9%), bacterial endocarditis on both normal (8.5%) and rheumatic valves (4.7%), ischaemic heart disease (2.3%), acute rheumatic fever (0.5%), and osteogenesis imperfecta (0.5%). Isolated posterior rupture was seen most frequently (54%), with anterior rupture in 36% and rupture of both mitral cusps in 10% of patients. A short symptomatic history of acute mitral regurgitation was rare, occurring in only 4% of patients in either the primary or secondary groups, suggesting that mitral regurgitation due to ruptured chordae is a progressive disease. In contrast to previous reports the clinical presentation did not help to differentiate the aetiology of the chordal rupture.

Full text

PDF
312

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Auger P., Wigle E. D. Sudden, severe mitral insufficiency. Can Med Assoc J. 1967 Jun 10;96(23):1493–1503. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Austen W. G., Sokol D. M., DeSanctis R. W., Sanders C. A. Surgical treatment of papillary-muscle rupture complicating myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med. 1968 May 23;278(21):1137–1141. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196805232782102. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BRIGDEN W., LEATHAM A. Mitral incompetence. Br Heart J. 1953 Jan;15(1):55–73. doi: 10.1136/hrt.15.1.55. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. BROCK R. C. The arterial route to the aortic and pulmonary valves. The mitral route to the aortic valves. Guys Hosp Rep. 1950;99(4):236–246. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Baxley W. A., Kennedy J. W., Feild B., Dodge H. T. Hemodynamics in ruptured chordae tendineae and chronic rheumatic mitral regurgitation. Circulation. 1973 Dec;48(6):1288–1294. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.48.6.1288. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Burch G. E., DePasquale N. P., Phillips J. H. The syndrome of papillary muscle dysfunction. Am Heart J. 1968 Mar;75(3):399–415. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(68)90097-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Caulfield J. B., Page D. L., Kastor J. A., Sanders C. A. Connective tissue abnormalities in spontaneous rupture of chordae tendineae. Arch Pathol. 1971 Jun;91(6):537–541. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Caves P. K., Paneth M. Acute mitral regurgitation in pregnancy due to ruptured chordae tendineae. Br Heart J. 1972 May;34(5):541–544. doi: 10.1136/hrt.34.5.541. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Cuasay R. S., Morse D. P., Spagna P., Fernandez J., Lemole G. M. Massive mitral regrgitation from chordal rupture and coronary artery disease. Ann Thorac Surg. 1978 May;25(5):438–443. doi: 10.1016/s0003-4975(10)63581-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Fenoglio J., Jr, Tuan-duc-Pham Ruptured chordae tendineae. An electron microscopic study. Hum Pathol. 1972 Sep;3(3):415–420. doi: 10.1016/s0046-8177(72)80041-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Goodman D., Kimbiris D., Linhart J. W. Chordae tendineae rupture complicating the systolic click-late systolic murmur syndrome. Am J Cardiol. 1974 May 6;33(5):681–684. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(74)90263-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hwang W. S., Lam K. L. Case reports. Rupture of chordae tendineae during acute rheumatic carditis. Br Heart J. 1968 May;30(3):429–431. doi: 10.1136/hrt.30.3.429. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kastor J. A., Akbarian M., Buckley M. J., Dinsmore R. E., Sanders C. A., Scannell J. G., Austen W. G. Paravalvular leaks and hemolytic anemia following insertion of Starr-Edwards aortic and mitral valves. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1968 Aug;56(2):279–288. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Klughaupt M., Flamm M. D., Hancock E. W., Harrison D. C. Nonrheumatic mitral insufficiency. Determination of operability and prognosis. Circulation. 1969 Mar;39(3):307–316. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.39.3.307. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lam J. H., Ranganathan N., Wigle E. D., Silver M. D. Morphology of the human mitral valve. I. Chordae tendineae: a new classification. Circulation. 1970 Mar;41(3):449–458. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.41.3.449. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Littler W. A., Epstein E. J., Coulshed N. Acute mitral regurgitation resulting from ruptured or elongated chordae tendineae. Auscultatory and phonocardiographic findings. Q J Med. 1973 Jan;42(165):87–110. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. MCLAUGHLIN J. S., COWLEY R. A., SMITH G., MATHESON N. A. MITRAL VALVE DISEASE FROM BLUNT TRAUMA. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1964 Aug;48:261–271. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. MENGES H., Jr, ANKENEY J. L., HELLERSTEIN H. K. THE CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS AND SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF RUPTURED MITRAL CHORDAE TENDINEAE. Circulation. 1964 Jul;30:8–16. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.30.1.8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Manhas D. R., Hessel E. A., Winterscheid L. C., Dillard D. H., Merendino K. A. Repair of mitral incompetence secondary to ruptured chordae tendineae. Circulation. 1971 May;43(5):688–697. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.43.5.688. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Marchand P., Barlow J. B., Du Plessis L. A., Webster I. Mitral regurgitation with rupture of normal chordae tendineae. Br Heart J. 1966 Nov;28(6):746–758. doi: 10.1136/hrt.28.6.746. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Murray F. T., Fuleihan D. S., Cornwall C. S., Pinals R. S. Acute mitral regurgitation from ruptured chordae tendineae in systemic lupus erythematosus. J Rheumatol. 1975 Dec;2(4):454–459. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. OSMUNDSON P. J., CALLAHAN J. A., EDWARDS J. E. Mitral insufficiency from ruptured chordae tendineae simulating aortic stenosis. Proc Staff Meet Mayo Clin. 1958 Apr 30;33(9):235–244. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. OSMUNDSON P. J., CALLAHAN J. A., EDWARDS J. E. Ruptured mitral chordae tendineae. Circulation. 1961 Jan;23:42–54. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.23.1.42. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Raftery E. B., Oakley C. M., Goodwin J. F. Acute subvalvar mitral incompetence. Lancet. 1966 Aug 13;2(7459):360–365. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(66)92659-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Ranganathan N., Burch G. E. Gross morphology and arterial supply of the papillary muscles of the left ventricle of man. Am Heart J. 1969 Apr;77(4):506–516. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(69)90160-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Raphael M. J., Steiner R. E., Raftery E. B. Acute mitral incompetence. Clin Radiol. 1967 Apr;18(2):126–136. doi: 10.1016/s0009-9260(67)80003-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Read R. C., Thal A. P., Wendt V. E. Symptomatic valvular myxomatous transformation (the floppy valve syndrome). A possible forme fruste of the Marfan syndrome. Circulation. 1965 Dec;32(6):897–910. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.32.6.897. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Roberts W. C., Braunwald E., Morrow A. G. Acute severe mitral regurgitation secondary to ruptured chordae tendineae: clinical, hemodynamic, and pathologic considerations. Circulation. 1966 Jan;33(1):58–70. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.33.1.58. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. SANDERS C. A., SCANNELL J. G., HARTHORNE J. W., AUSTEN W. G. SEVERE MITRAL REGURGITATION SECONDARY TO RUPTURED CHORDAE TENDINEAE. Circulation. 1965 Apr;31:506–516. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.31.4.506. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. SHAPIRO H. A., WEISS D. R. Mitral insufficiency due to ruptured chordae tendineae simulating aortic stenosis. N Engl J Med. 1959 Aug 6;261(6):272–276. doi: 10.1056/NEJM195908062610604. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Sanders C. A., Austen W. G., Harthorne J. W., Dinsmore R. E., Scannell J. G. Diagnosis and surgical treatment of mitral regurgitation secondary to ruptured chordae tendineae. N Engl J Med. 1967 Apr 27;276(17):943–949. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196704272761702. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Scott-Jupp W., Barnett N. L., Gallagher P. J., Monro J. L., Ross J. K. Ultrastructural changes in spontaneous rupture of mitral chordae tendineae. J Pathol. 1981 Mar;133(3):185–201. doi: 10.1002/path.1711330303. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Selzer A., Katayama F. Mitral regurgitation: clinical patterns, pathophysiology and natural history. Medicine (Baltimore) 1972 Sep;51(5):337–366. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Selzer A., Kelly J. J., Jr, Vannitamby M., Walker P., Gerbode F., Kerth W. J. The syndrome of mitral insufficiency due to isolated rupture of the chordae tendineae. Am J Med. 1967 Dec;43(6):822–836. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(67)90241-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Shore D. F., Wong P., Paneth M., Buckley M. J. Results of mitral valvuloplasty with a suture plication technique. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1980 Mar;79(3):349–357. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Simpson J. W., Nora J. J., McNamara D. G. Marfan's syndrome and mitral valve disease: acute surgical emergencies. Am Heart J. 1969 Jan;77(1):96–99. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(69)90134-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Stinson E. B., Griepp R. B., Oyer P. E., Shumway N. E. Long-term experience with porcine aortic valve xenografts. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1977 Jan;73(1):54–63. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Wexler L., Silverman J. F., DeBusk R. F., Harrison D. C. Angiographic features of rheumatic and nonrheumatic mitral regurgitation. Circulation. 1971 Dec;44(6):1080–1086. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.44.6.1080. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Wood S. J., Thomas J., Braimbridge M. V. Mitral valve disease and open heart surgery in osteogenesis imperfecta tarda. Br Heart J. 1973 Jan;35(1):103–106. doi: 10.1136/hrt.35.1.103. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Heart Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES