chordae tendineae (left heart, anatomy)
Last reviewed 01/2018
The chordae tendineae of the left heart can be classified into the following groups:
- commissural chordae:
- two main groups, anterolateral and posteromedial
- emerge from ends of papillary muscles and divide almost immediately into multiple fibres
- insert into free margin of valve around the area of the commissures
- leaflet chordae:
- rough zone chordae:
- similar in origin and insertion to those of the tricuspid valve complex
- unique to the mitral valve are 'strut chordae' from the anterolateral and posteromedial papillary muscles; they are particularly thick rough zone chordae which insert only into the anterior leaflet
- cleft chordae: fine chordae which insert into the free margin of a leaflet where it is partially divided by minor clefts
- basal chordae:
- only associated with posterior leaflet
- insert close to the junction of the leaflet with the fibrous annulus