Mitral Valve Prolapse

Nancy McDaniel M.D.

In this heart defect the heart has four chambers and four valves.

The defect is that the mitral valve (between the left collecting chamber and the left pumping chamber) bows backward (prolapses) when the heart pumps. This may cause the child to have a heart murmur and the valve may leak.

Mild prolapse and mild leakage cause no symptoms. Those with a very deformed valve and severe leakage may need to have heart surgery to replace the valve.

1. Abnormal mitral valve

Normal Heart