Pathological changes in ventricular false chordae tendineae in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

In DCM patients, the gross morphology of ventricular false chordae tendineae showed no significant changes; however, marked proliferation of fibrous connective tissue was frequently observed, separating cardiomyocytes or Purkinje fibers into bundles or completely replacing the cellular components. This may contribute to the pathological basis of reentrant arrhythmias. Furthermore, the remodeling of Cx43 from an end-to-end to a lateral-lateral distribution may underlie electrical heterogeneity.