Mitral valve grossing

This article covers mitral valve grossing.

The aortic valve is dealt with in a separate protocol.

Introduction

• In the Western world, the most common pathology is mitral valve prolapse.^{[citation needed]}
• Historically, rheumatic heart disease was very common. This is still significant in developing countries. This classically has a fish-mouth appearance (valve orfice is slit-like, due to valve thickening) and is associated with cordae tendinae abnormalities.
• It may under go myxomatous degeneration, as can be seen in Marfan syndrome.

Protocol

• Specimen: mitral valve tissue.
• Number of leaflets: [ number ].
• Measurements:
  • Valve (base-to-free edge x along the free edge x thickness): H x L x T, H x L x T and H x L x T cm.
  • Cordae tendinae (length x thickness): L x T cm.
• Calcification: [ absent / suspicious / present ], [ minimal / moderate / marked ].
• Vegetations: [ none / suspicious / present ].
• Thinning: [ absent / present ].
• Hooding: [ absent / present / marked ].
• Cordae tendinae: [ normal / thickened / shorted / fused ].
• Additional findings: [ none / fish mouth appearance ].
• Representative sections are submitted from each cusp in block A1.

Protocol notes

• May be a gross only diagnosis.
• Sections are cut perpendicular to the free edge should include cordae tendinae.

See also

Related protocols

• Aortic valve.