
The papillary muscles are pillar-like muscles located in the ventricles of the heart. They play a crucial role in maintaining proper cardiac function by preventing the backward flow of blood from the ventricles into the atrial cavities. There are five papillary muscles in the heart, with three in the right ventricle and two in the left ventricle. These muscles contract during ventricular systole, maintaining tension to prevent prolapse of the atrioventricular valves. Papillary muscle rupture or dysfunction can have severe consequences, including mitral regurgitation, and requires immediate medical attention.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Ventricles of the heart |
| Number | 5 (3 in the right ventricle and 2 in the left ventricle) |
| Names | Anterior, posterior, septal, anterolateral, posteromedial, superolateral, inferoseptal |
| Function | Prevent inversion or prolapse of atrioventricular valves during systole (ventricular contraction) |
| Blood supply | Branches of the left coronary artery, left circumflex artery, right coronary artery |
| Shape | Conical, cylindrical, accurate, fusiform |
| Related conditions | Myocardial infarction, ischemia, blunt chest trauma, Barlow's disease |
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What You'll Learn
- Papillary muscles are located in the ventricles of the heart
- They contract to prevent inversion or prolapse of the atrioventricular valves
- They are supplied with blood by the left coronary artery and the circumflex artery
- Blunt trauma can lead to papillary muscle rupture
- Papillary muscle dysfunction can be caused by ischemia

Papillary muscles are located in the ventricles of the heart
The human heart has four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. Papillary muscles are located in the ventricles of the heart. They are pillar-like muscles that arise from the inner walls of the left and right ventricles. There are five papillary muscles in the heart: three in the right ventricle and two in the left ventricle. The right ventricle contains the anterior, posterior, and septal papillary muscles, while the left ventricle contains the anterolateral and posteromedial papillary muscles.
The papillary muscles have an important role in maintaining proper cardiac valvular function. They attach to the cusps of the atrioventricular valves, also known as the mitral and tricuspid valves, via the chordae tendineae. The contraction of the papillary muscles prevents inversion or prolapse of the valves during systole, or ventricular contraction. The papillary muscles begin to contract shortly before ventricular systole and maintain tension throughout, preventing the backward flow of blood from the ventricles into the atrial cavities.
The blood supply to the papillary muscles varies depending on their location. The left anterolateral papillary muscle receives blood from branches of the left coronary artery, while the left posteromedial papillary muscle is typically supplied by the right coronary artery. In some cases, the posteromedial papillary muscle may receive blood from branches of the left circumflex artery.
Papillary muscle dysfunction or rupture can have serious consequences. Dysfunction can occur due to myocardial ischemia, resulting in a murmur of mitral regurgitation. Rupture of the papillary muscles can be caused by myocardial infarction, ischemia, or blunt chest trauma. It is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment, as it can be fatal if left untreated.
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They contract to prevent inversion or prolapse of the atrioventricular valves
The papillary muscles are pillar-like muscles located within the cavity of the ventricles of the heart, attached to their walls. There are five papillary muscles in the heart: three in the right ventricle and two in the left ventricle. The left ventricle papillary muscles are known as the anterolateral and posteromedial muscles, while the right ventricle contains the anterior, posterior, and septal papillary muscles.
The papillary muscles play a crucial role in maintaining proper cardiac valvular function. They attach to the cusps of the atrioventricular valves (mitral and tricuspid valves) via the chordae tendineae. The contraction of the papillary muscles is vital for preventing inversion or prolapse of the atrioventricular valves during systole (ventricular contraction). This contraction ensures that the valves do not undergo inversion or prolapse, which could lead to regurgitation, or the backward flow of blood from the ventricles into the atrial cavities.
The papillary muscles begin to contract shortly before ventricular systole and maintain tension throughout. This contraction prevents the high pressure in the ventricles from forcing the valves back into the atria. The proper functioning of the papillary muscles is essential for the overall cardiac cycle and valvular function.
The chordae tendineae play a role in this process as well. They maintain a constant length during the cardiac cycle, and the contraction of the papillary muscles ensures that the leaflets do not prolapse due to the longitudinal shortening of the ventricles. The chordae tendineae arise from the paired papillary muscles and extend to both mitral leaflets, facilitating the proper functioning of the mitral valve.
The papillary muscles receive their blood supply from various arteries. The anterolateral muscle is supplied by the left anterior descending artery and the left circumflex artery, while the posteromedial muscle typically receives blood from the right coronary artery. However, in some cases, the posteromedial muscle may also be supplied by branches of the left circumflex artery.
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They are supplied with blood by the left coronary artery and the circumflex artery
The papillary muscles are pillar-like muscles located within the cavity of the ventricles of the heart. They are attached to the walls of the left and right ventricles and play a crucial role in maintaining proper cardiac valvular function. The contraction of the papillary muscles is essential for preventing the inversion or prolapse of the atrioventricular valves during systole or ventricular contraction. This contraction also prevents regurgitation, which is the backward flow of blood from the ventricles into the atrial cavities.
The blood supply to the papillary muscles is a vital aspect of their function. The left anterolateral papillary muscle receives its blood supply from branches of the left coronary artery. Specifically, it is supplied by the left anterior descending artery - diagonal branch (LAD) and the left circumflex artery - obtuse marginal branch (LCX). This dual blood supply is important for maintaining the health and function of the anterolateral papillary muscle.
The left posteromedial papillary muscle, on the other hand, typically receives its blood supply from the right coronary artery. However, in some cases, it can also receive blood supply from branches of the left circumflex artery. This variance in blood supply is due to the dominant circulation pattern in the heart. Ensuring adequate blood flow to the posteromedial papillary muscle is crucial as it is particularly susceptible to injury from myocardial infarction due to its single system of blood supply.
The papillary muscles are regulated by the cardiac plexus fibres, which control the pacemaker of the heart, the SA node. Impulses from the SA node are transmitted through the AV node and into the interventricular septum, where they divide into the right and left bundles of His. The left bundle of His supplies the left ventricle, including the papillary muscles. These impulses then spread into the ventricles from the base of the papillary muscles, coordinating the timing and force of contraction.
The proper functioning of the papillary muscles is critical for overall heart health. Any dysfunction or rupture of these muscles can have severe consequences, including mitral regurgitation and, in some cases, even leading to fatal outcomes. Therefore, maintaining the blood supply to the papillary muscles through the left coronary artery and the circumflex artery is of utmost importance for the proper functioning of the heart.
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Blunt trauma can lead to papillary muscle rupture
The papillary muscles are pillar-like muscles located within the cavity of the ventricles of the heart. They play a crucial role in maintaining proper cardiac valvular function by preventing the backward flow of blood into the atrial cavities. There are five papillary muscles in the heart: three in the right ventricle and two in the left ventricle. These muscles contract to prevent the inversion or prolapse of the atrioventricular valves during ventricular contraction, preventing the backward flow of blood into the atrial cavities.
Blunt thoracic trauma (BTT) is a significant cause of mortality and hospitalization, contributing to over a quarter of trauma-related deaths. While rare, BTT can lead to cardiac injuries, including papillary muscle rupture. This occurs due to the sudden deceleration or compression of the heart. The rupture of papillary muscles is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment, as it can have fatal consequences if left untreated.
The clinical presentation of papillary muscle rupture following blunt trauma can vary, and diagnosis can be challenging due to the complex anatomy of the heart and the variability in the types and severity of trauma. In some cases, standard diagnostic modalities may fail to detect the rupture, as seen in a case report where only transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) successfully identified the delayed mitral papillary muscle rupture.
Patients who have experienced severe blunt chest trauma should undergo cardiac examinations to exclude potential injuries to the cardiac structure. TTE and TEE are considered reliable and accurate diagnostic tools in such cases.
The treatment for papillary muscle rupture caused by blunt trauma may involve urgent surgical interventions, such as sternotomy and open-heart surgery for mitral valve replacement, as seen in a reported case where a patient underwent successful surgery and made a full recovery.
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Papillary muscle dysfunction can be caused by ischemia
The heart contains five papillary muscles that originate from the ventricular walls. They are pillar-like muscles located within the cavity of the ventricles, attached to their walls. There are three papillary muscles in the right ventricle—anterior, posterior, and septal—and two in the left ventricle—anterolateral and posteromedial.
Papillary muscles play an integral role in proper cardiac valvular function. They attach to the cusps of the atrioventricular valves (also known as the mitral and tricuspid valves) via the chordae tendineae. The contraction of these muscles prevents inversion or prolapse of the valves during systole (ventricular contraction), maintaining the proper flow of blood through the heart.
Papillary muscle dysfunction can occur due to ischemia or infarction of the muscle, which can lead to inadequate blood supply and subsequent dysfunction. This can cause mitral regurgitation, where blood flows back into the left atrium due to improper valve function. Ischemia can also lead to papillary muscle rupture, a rare but serious complication that can be fatal if left untreated. The rupture of the papillary muscle can occur due to myocardial ischemia, which is a restriction of blood flow to the heart muscle. This can result in a backflow of blood that leads to left- or right-sided heart failure.
The posteromedial papillary muscle is particularly prone to rupture due to its single blood supply from the posterior descending artery. Impairment of this artery can produce inferior wall ischemia, which can lead to rupture. This single blood supply also makes the rupture of the posteromedial muscle more frequent compared to the anterolateral muscle, which has a dual blood supply.
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Frequently asked questions
Papillary muscles are pillar-like muscles located in the ventricles of the heart. There are five in total: three in the right ventricle and two in the left ventricle.
Papillary muscles contract to prevent the inversion or prolapse of the atrioventricular valves during ventricular contraction. They also maintain tension throughout ventricular systole to prevent the backward flow of ventricular blood into the atrial cavities.
Papillary muscle rupture can be caused by myocardial infarction, ischemia, or blunt chest trauma resulting from the sudden deceleration or compression of the heart.
There are two main types of papillary muscles: the superolateral (anterolateral) and the inferoseptal (posteromedial). However, numerous variations have been observed, including double, triple, and quadruple bodies, as well as different shapes such as conical, cylindrical, accurate, and fusiform.


































