[Similarities in morphologic changes in heart valves in acquired heart defects of noninflammatory etiology and in damaged menisci without a history of trauma].

Histologic, histochemical and ultrastructural analyses were performed of the leaflets of all four heart valves in 50 subjects with acquired heart defects of noninflammatory etiology and 88 surgically removed damaged menisci without trauma anamnesis. On the basis of the detailed analysis some morphologic similarities were found in the heart valves and menisci such as myxomatous degeneration as the main pathologic lesion, lack of blood vessels in the altered tissues which point to noninflammatory nature of the lesion, similarity in nourishment by diffusion, degradation of the collagenous fibres which present the main histologic structure and the increased accumulation of acid mucopolysacharrides at the site of their degradation as well as the increased number of fibroblasts, that is, chondroid cells which are considered to excrete acid mucopolysacharrides. Sometimes these changes are hardly identify clinically, especially in meniscal diseases which could simulate rheumatic disease.