Coronary pathoanatomy in severe ischemic mitral regurgitation

Clinical, angiographic, echocardiographic, and pathoanatomical data from 50 consecutive patients with severe acute ischemic mitral regurgitation were retrospectively analyzed. The combination of severe stenosis of both the right coronary and left circumflex arteries with or without stenosis of the left anterior descending artery was found in 80% of the patients. Regional inferior-wall motion abnormalities were found in 86% of the patients, most of whom had preserved global left ventricular function. Posteromedial papillary muscle involvement was the most common pathoanatomical finding.