Papillary muscles

Papillary muscles are conical muscular projections arising from the ventricular walls that serve as attachment points for the chordae tendineae, which connect to the atrioventricular valve leaflets. Their primary function is to prevent valve leaflet prolapse and maintain proper valve coaptation during ventricular contraction.

In the left ventricle, there are typically two papillary muscles—the subauricular papillary muscle and Subatrial papillary muscle—that arise from the apical to middle third of the ventricular free wall. Each papillary muscle gives rise to chordae tendineae that attach to both mitral valve leaflets. In the right ventricle, there are typically three papillary muscles (Great papillar muscle, Lesser papillar muscle, and Subarterial papillar muscle) supporting the tricuspid valve.