Anatomy of the left atrioventricular valveapparatus in landrace pigs

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to describe the structures and variations of the left atrioventricular valve apparatus in pigs’ hearts. The valve apparatus elements were investigated using morphometric criteria such as the implantation base width, maximum cuspid depth and fibrous ring circumference, and using morphological criteria such as the numbers and sites of the cuspids, tendon cords and papillary muscles. We concluded that morphometric criteria such as the implantation base width and greater cuspid depth could be used to characterize the cuspids of the left atrioventricular valve apparatus; and that morphological criteria such as the number of papillary muscles, fibrous ring circumference and number of tendon cords were generally not associated with the variations in the number of cuspids. We can state that the number of cuspids in the left atrioventricular valve in pigs is variable and that commissural cuspids are frequently present.