Anatomy of the mitral valvular complex and its implications for transcatheter interventions for mitral regurgitation.

Mitral regurgitation (MR) poses a significant clinical burden in the adult population, which is expected to increase even more with the ever prolonging life expectancies in developed countries. New technology has brought MR, once exclusively the arena of cardiac surgeons, to the attention of interventional cardiologists. A variety of device-oriented transcatheter strategies have evolved in recent years. A comprehensive understanding of mitral valvular anatomy is crucial for the selection of patients, the implementation of devices, and further refinements of these transcatheter techniques if they are eventually to produce procedural and clinical success. The aim of this review is to elucidate the morphology of the mitral valvular complex, integrating key anatomical features into the developing transcatheter options for the treatment of MR. Copyright (c) 2010 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.