By using one's senses an orderly approach, the physician is able to correlate bedside observations and laboratory findings with pathophysiology and the basic elements of cardiac pathology.
Mitral valve prolapse
This is a gross pathology specimen from a patient with mitral valve prolapse. Note the posterior leaflet that has prolapsed into the left atrium. A ruptured chordae can be seen clearly on the medial side of the valve.
Ruptured chordae
This is a pathology specimen with a view of the mitral valve seen from the atrial side. Note that the valve is thickened with multiple scallops. The arrow denotes the obviously torn chordae. This pathology is due to myxomatous degeneration of the leaflets and chordae. This causes the valve to prolapse into the left atrium resulting in mitral regurgitation.