[Deformity of the cardiac structures in patients with mitral valve prolapse: the relationship with flat chest]

In view of the close relationship of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and chest deformity, seven patients of MVP associated with flat chest were echocardiographically evaluated, and the results were compared with those of 43 normal control subjects, 29 cases with flat chest, and patients with MVP either of the anterior (25 cases) or posterior (21 cases) leaflet. MVP associated with flat chest was observed in the anterior leaflet in all cases. MVP was related to the dislocation of the two mitral leaflets caused by the displaced posterior mitral ring observed by two-dimensional echocardiography. The transition type was observed among the cases with or without dislocation of the mitral ring in cases with flat chest.