By using an orderly approach, the physician is able to correlate bedside observations and laboratory findings with pathophysiology and the basic elements of cardiac pathology, as shown on the following specimen.
Pathology specimen - Severe rheumatic mitral valve disease
This is a pathology specimen from a patient with severe rheumatic mitral valve disease viewed from the atrial side. There is a thrombus that protrudes from the left atrial appendage. Note the second fused mitral valve leaflet that results in a fish mouth appearance of the mitral valve orifice. This typical rheumatic mitral valve pathology commonly results in both regurgitation and stenosis. In this specimen, the tricuspid and aortic valves are also involved.
Pathology specimen - Mitral valve prolapse
This is a pathology specimen from a patient with mitral regurgitation due to mitral valve prolapse viewed from the atrial side. Note the multiple scallops especially involving the redundant posterior mitral valve leaflet. The pathology of this floppy mitral valve is due to myxomatous degeneration of the leaflets and chordae. this causes the valve to prolapse into the left atrium, resulting in mitral regurgitation.