Mitral valve stenosis Mitral valve stenosis Mitral stenosis is a valvular heart disease characterized by the narrowing of the orifice of the mitral valve of the heart. Signs and symptoms of mitral stenosis include the following: Fatigue and weakness increase with exercise and pregnancy. The natural history of mitral stenosis secondary to rheumatic fever (the most common cause) is an asymptomatic latent phase following the initial episode of rheumatic fever. This latent period lasts an average of 16.3 ± 5.2 years. Once symptoms of mitral stenosis begin to develop, progression to severe disability takes 9.2 ± 4.3 years. In individuals having been offered
Mitral valve away from the free margin. This disposition has important effects on systolic stress distribution physiology The mitral annulus is a fibrous ring that is attached to the mitral valve leaflets. Unlike prosthetic valves, it is not continuous. The mitral annulus is saddle shaped and changes in shape throughout the cardiac cycle. The annulus contracts and reduces its surface area during systole to help provide complete closure of the leaflets. Expansion of the annulus can result in leaftlets that do not join soundly together, leading to functional mitral regurgitation. The normal diameter of the mitral annulus is , and the circumference