A young female patient came for routine examination. On examination a mid systolic click was found. There is no history of RHD. The histopathological examination is most likely to show-

Ans. is 'a' i.e. Myxomatous degeneration and prolapsed of the mitral valve o Mitral valve prolapse is caused by the systolic billowing one or both mitral leaflets into the left atrium with or without mitral regurgitation. This produces the principal physical finding of mitral valve prolapse on cardiac auscultation i.e. o The midsystolic click a hipth pitched sound of sho duration. The midsystolic click may be loud or soft and varies in its timing according to left ventricular loading and contractility It is caused by the sudden tensing of the mitral valve apparatus as the leaflets billow into the left atrium during systole. Multiple systolic clicks may be generated by different poions of the mitral leaflets prolapsing at different times during systole. The midsystolic click is frequently followed by a late systolic murmur usually medium to high pitched and loudest at the apex. The murmur is produced by systolic leak of small amount of blood through the defective mitral valve during systole (mitral regurgitation murmur).