Morphology And Morphometry of Right Ventricular False Tendons


0

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2605009

Authors: Vincent Kipkorir1, Charity Kobuthi1,3*, Talha Chaudhry1, Mohamed Onyango1, Stephanie Momanyi1, Musa Misiani1, Jeremiah Munguti1, Beda Olabu2

1 Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
2 Department of Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Kenya.

3 The Operating Room Global (TORG).

Cite:

  • APA (7th edition): Kipkorir, V., Kobuthi, C., Chaudhry, T., Onyango, M., Momanyi, S., Misiani, M., Munguti, J., & Olabu, B. (2026, June 10). Morphology and morphometry of right ventricular false tendons. The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ), 2(2). https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2605009
  • Harvard: Kipkorir, V., Kobuthi, C., Chaudhry, T., Onyango, M., Momanyi, S., Misiani, M., Munguti, J. and Olabu, B., 2026. Morphology and morphometry of right ventricular false tendons. The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ), 2(2). Published 10 June. Available at: https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2605009
  • Vancouver: Kipkorir V, Kobuthi C, Chaudhry T, Onyango M, Momanyi S, Misiani M, Munguti J, Olabu B. Morphology and morphometry of right ventricular false tendons. The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ). 2026 Jun 10;2(2). https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2605009
  • MLA (9th edition): Kipkorir, Vincent, et al. “Morphology and Morphometry of Right Ventricular False Tendons.” The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ), vol. 2, no. 2, 10 June 2026, https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2605009
  • Chicago (Author-Date): Kipkorir, Vincent, Charity Kobuthi, Talha Chaudhry, Mohamed Onyango, Stephanie Momanyi, Musa Misiani, Jeremiah Munguti, and Beda Olabu. 2026. “Morphology and Morphometry of Right Ventricular False Tendons.” The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ) 2 (2), June 10. https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2605009
ABSTRACT
Background: False tendons (FTs) are fibrous or fibromuscular structures, that traverse the cavity of the ventricles and have no attachment to valvular cusps. In contrast to the well documented Left ventricular false tendons, right ventricular false tendons (RFTs) remain poorly understood, with only a five-type classification system in use. RFTs are clinically significant and have been implicated in S3 gallops, ventricular arrhythmias and systolic murmurs. Moreover, their presence increases the possibility of catheter entanglement and incorrect diagnosis during cardiac procedures.
Materials and Methods: Sixty-eight hearts from formalin-fixed cadavers from the Department of Human Anatomy, University of Nairobi were used in this study. The hearts were incised, false tendons identified, classified and lengths measured from origin to insertion using a digital Vernier caliper, accurate to 0.01 cm. Data was analyzed using SPSS Version 25.0. Prevalence was reported with 95% Wilson confidence intervals; lengths were expressed as means and standard deviations. Group differences were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests (α = 0.05).
Results: RFTs were identified in 63.2% of examined hearts, with a mean of 1.4 types per heart (range: 1-4). Beyond the five conventionally defined types (Types 1–5), six novel types were observed. Across all 122 false tendons, Type 1 (septum to anterior papillary muscle) was the most prevalent overall (18.9%). Within Type 11 (tricuspid leaflets to septum, moderator band, and posterior ventricular free wall), those extending from the septal leaflet to the septum were most common (33.6%). Mean false tendon length was 14.6±7.1 mm (range: 1–34 mm). Type 3 (anterior tricuspid leaflet to RV free wall) was the longest (25.5±6.4 mm), while Type 9 (septum to moderator band) was the shortest (8.0 mm).
Conclusion: RFTs are prevalent anatomical variations that exhibit more morphological diversity than previously documented. These results offer a thorough anatomical reference that is essential for preventing complications during right-sided cardiac interventions, understanding abnormal valvular mechanics and distinguishing RFTs from pathologies during imaging.
Keywords: Right Ventricle; False Tendons Classification; Morphometry; Cardiac Anatomy; Tricuspid Valve

Download Full Text Below

The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ) | Open Access | International | CC-BY 4.0 Licensed | Peer-Reviewed