Inferior papillary muscle of left ventricle
Musculus papillaris inferior ventriculi sinistri
- Latin synonym: Musculus papillaris posterior ventriculi sinistri
- Synonym: Posterior papillary muscle of left ventricle
- Related terms: Posterior papillary muscle
Definition
The inferior papillary muscle of the left ventricle (Posterior; Posteromedial papillary muscle) arises from the inferoseptal (posteromedial) wall of the left ventricle, near the junction of the posterior and septal walls, and projects into the ventricular cavity. This muscle can be conical, truncated, bifurcated, or even trifurcated, and may have 1–3 heads, with each head giving rise to several chordae tendineae
The posteromedial papillary muscle is responsible for anchoring the chordae tendineae that attach to the medial portions of both the anterior and posterior leaflets of the mitral valve. The muscle itself is covered by endocardium and is connected to the ventricular wall via trabeculae carneae rather than a direct attachment to the solid myocardium.
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