ABSTRACT
Background:The mitral valve (MV) is a complex structure that is altered in various disease status. Mitral valveclosure prevents systolic backflow of blood from the left ventricle into atrium, which depends on the co-ordinatedaction of left atrium, mitral valve leaflets, annulus, chordae, papillary muscles and the left ventricular wall.Alteration in the structure and function of any of these elements lead to mitral valve incompetence.Purpose of the study: The aim of the study was to determine the morphological and the morphometric variationsof mitral valve. The present study has classified mitral valve based on the number of mitral valve leaflets/cuspsand also measured the size and area of mitral orifice and mitral annulus circumference.Methods:Present study included 50 human hearts from the cadavers in the department of Anatomy at PondicherryInstitute of Medical Sciences. Circumference, annular diameter, area of the valve, height of the anterior leafletand height of the posterior leaflet was measured.Results:In this study annular circumference ranged between 6.8 to11.5 cm and 64% of the circumference rangedbetween 8.1 to 10 cm. Annular diameter ranged between 2 to 3.6 cm and 58% of diameter ranged between 2.6 to3 cm.Height of the anterior leaflet ranged between 1 to 2.5 cm and 54% ranged between 1.6 to 2 cm. Height of theposterior leaflet ranged between 0.5 to 1.5 cm and 70% ranged between0.5to 1cm.Conclusion:Although the most commonly described mitral valve is bicuspid, in the present study 3 cusps werefound in 4% of the specimens. Improper cusp approximation may cause cardio vascular problems. Morphometricmeasurements of the mitral valve will help in finding the correct size of the prosthesis for the valve replacementwhich will accurately fix in the valve orifice.
ABSTRACT
During the routine cadaveric dissection, the presence of accessory heads of Sternocleidomastoid was observed on right side. i.e., additional bellies from sternal and clavicle were observed on the right side. These additional slips were innervated by the spinal accessory nerve. These additional slips could have been formed due to unusual splitting in the mesoderm of post-sixth branchial arch during organogenesis. The awareness of variations of sternocleidomastoid muscle is important for Anaesthetists, Plastic surgeons, Orthopaedicians and Dental surgeons while taking muscle flap in reconstructive surgeries and is also important for radiologists while interpreting MR images of this region.