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[Tendinous cords in echocardiographic studies--occurrence, clinical significance]
Insights
Common tendinous chords in heart ventricles are often benign but can be associated with ventricular arrhythmias. These rhythm disorders may stem from local diastolic disturbances, even without impacting ejection fraction.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiac Anatomy
Context:
- Echocardiography is a key diagnostic tool for visualizing cardiac structures.
- Tendinous chords, also known as false tendons, are common incidental findings in the ventricles.
Purpose:
- To investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of tendinous chords in cardiac ventricles.
- To determine the association between ventricular tendinous chords and cardiac rhythm disorders.
Summary:
- Echocardiographic examination of 954 individuals revealed tendinous chords in 5.6%.
- Further analysis of 30 individuals with tendinous chords showed no significant cardiovascular pathology.
- Ventricular arrhythmias, classified by Lown's criteria, were observed in 36.6% of subjects with tendinous chords, correlating with local diastolic dysfunction.
Impact:
- Highlights the potential link between common cardiac anatomical variants and arrhythmias.
- Suggests that tendinous chords may contribute to diastolic dysfunction and ventricular rhythm disturbances.
- Underscores the importance of considering tendinous chords in the evaluation of unexplained ventricular arrhythmias.
Abstract:
Tendinous chords inside cardiac ventricles were found in 53 (5.6%) out of 954 individuals examined echocardiographically within one year. Only 30 individuals were further analysed. No marked pathology in the cardiovascular system was found. Tendinous chord was localized in the right ventricle in 7 individuals, in left ventricle in 21, and in both ventricles in 2 subjects. Ventricular arrhythmias were shown in 11 subjects (36.6%) with the aid of a 24-hour ECG monitoring with Holter's technique. They were of the II and IV stage of advancement according to Lown's classification. Ventricular rhythm disorders were seen in both subjects with tendinous chord within left ventricle (7 subjects) and in the right ventricle (4 subjects). Local diastolic disorders with no effect on the ejection fraction were noted in all subjects with false chord and ventricular rhythm disorders. Ventricular cardiac rhythm disorders are being observed in the subjects with the false chord located within the right or the left cardiac ventricle producing local diastole disturbances.