Papillary muscle

A papillary muscle (musculus papillaris ) is a wart-like protuberance of the cardiac muscle in the heart inside the ( tendineae chordae ) via chordae with two of the sails of a sailing valve between the atrium ( atrium ) and ventricle ( ventricle) is connected ( mitral and tricuspid ).

Due to the contraction of the papillary muscles, the chordae are stretched. However, this does not lead to opening or closing of the valves, which are only passively moved due to the pressure differences between the atrium and ventricle, but only prevents strike-through of the flaps back into the atria.

In the right ventricle there are three, in the left only two papillary muscles.

In the context of myocardial infarction may lead to a Papillarmuskelabriss. This occurs more frequently on the left rear muscle on, and can lead to cardiogenic shock thus acute mitral regurgitation or mitral valve prolapse and to allow any acute left ventricular failure and as a result, if necessary. Are the right papillary muscles affected, it comes to tricuspid regurgitation and subsequently, if necessary for right heart failure.

The ECG repolarization of the papillary muscles results in the so-called U- wave. However, this is physiologically not visible and occurs mainly in hypokalemia -a-days.