Left ventricular meridional wall stress-dimension loops from patients with compensated and decompensated chronic mitral regurgitation

Left ventricular meridional wall stress-dimension loops from patients with compensated (A) and decompensated (B) chronic mitral regurgitation. The calculated coordinates of stress and dimension are shown by squares; connecting lines are shown schematically. Preoperatively, the loops are displaced well to the right of normal. In panel A, the postoperative loop is near normal (but, in contrast to aortic regurgitation, shortening fell significantly); in panel B, chamber dilatation persists.