[Frequency, localization and extent of local wall function disorders of the left ventricle in patients with rheumatic mitral valve diseases].

In 59 patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease, local wall motion was assessed by analysing the diastolic and systolic left ventricular silhouette from biplane angiograms with a quantitative radial axes model using 90 radii in each projection. The left ventricle was dissected into 4 segments in the RAO and 2 segments in the LAO projection and a mean radii shortening for each segment was calculated. 27 patients had pure severe mitral stenosis (MS), 10 patients mitral insufficiency (MI) and 22 patients combined mitral valve disease (MSMI). A mean radii shortening less than 25% was diagnosed as wall motion abnormality. In 78% of all patients wall motion abnormalities could be detected in at least one segment. 32% of patients with MS, 27% of patients with MI and 33% of patients with MSMI had wall motion abnormality of the anteroapical wall. In only 8% of patients with MS and in no patients with MI and MSMI was the posterobasal segment disturbed. The anterobasal and diaphragmal wall motion showed wall motion abnormality in 16% and the septal and the posterolateral area in 17% of all patients. 78% of all patients had at least one diseased segment; motion abnormalities of the anteroapical wall (seg. 2) occurred most often whereas the posterobasal area (seg. 4) was diseased in only 4% of all patients. Ejection fraction was severely impaired (less than 55%) in 7 patients only (5 of these patients had MS) with wall motion abnormalities in more than 4 segments. There was no correlation between the extent of valve disease and occurrence and extent of wall motion abnormalities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)