Mitral Valve Research Paper

The mitral valve, which is also sometimes referred to as the bicuspid valve, is one of the four cardiac valves1 in the heart, located beneath the left atrium and above the left ventricle (Figure 1), preventing backflow of blood between these two chambers of the heart. The word mitral comes from the latin word mitra which translates as a turban or belt2.

Figure 1 Diagram showing where the heart chambers, blood vessels and valves are located3

Figure 2 Cross section of the heart, showing the cardiac valves4

The cardiac valves are split into two categories; semilunar valves, and atrioventricular valves (Figure 2). The mitral valve is one of the two atrioventricular valves in the heart, located on the left hand side, while the tricuspid

Deoxygenated blood is fed into the right atrium, pulled down into the right ventricle and then pumped to the heart along the pulmonary artery to the lungs. Once passed through the lungs, the now newly oxygenated blood is fed into the left atrium via the pulmonary vein and drawn down into the left ventricle. In order for the maximum volume of newly oxygenated blood to be then pumped out of the heart, via the aorta, to the rest of the body, the valve must open wide enough to allow the blood to make it into the ventricle, and close firmly enough to ensure that there is no backflow. If this does not happen, the maximum volume of oxygenated blood does not reach the rest of the body, and the system becomes inefficient as the cardiovascular system has to then work harder and faster to get the same volume of oxygenated blood to the surrounding body. This takes more energy, which could otherwise be better used. Therefore the cardiovascular system relies on a correctly functioning mitral valve, in order to stay

Firstly, the formation of the valve must be correct, and it must be flexible enough to undergo the movements required of the it to ensure efficient function. Secondly, the valve must be able to open up to a certain diameter to allow the correct volume of blood to pass through into the left ventricle. Finally, the valve must be able to close firmly, in order to prevent any blood leaking back into the left atrium7. The competence of the mitral valve is essential to the efficient functioning of the cardiovascular system, and when one of the above criteria for an efficiently functioning valve is not met there are several conditions that can develop, which can and do cause many problems for those who suffer from them. The most common problems include mitral valve regurgitation, mitral valve stenosis and mitral valve