PURPOSE--To verify if systolic bulging of floppy mitral cusps can to elastic behavior of their myxomatous collagen tissue. METHODS--Five hearts with floppy mitral valves obtained from autopsies were distended with air (20 to 250 mmHg) through a catheter connected to the left ventricle. It was observed if some area of the atrial surface of the coapted cusps showed variable bulging according to the variation of air injection pressures. Molding of those surfaces (gypsum) allowed the same kind of analysis by other four researches. It was analyzed the cut surfaces of these radially sectioned molds. Lately, isolated tendinae chords were submitted to repeated tractions and observed if they exhibited elastic behavior. Histological study defined the presence of collagen myxomatous degeneration and quantified the amount of elastic tissue. RESULTS--In no case it was detected elastic bulding of mitral cusps. Cut surfaces of the molds confirmed that no increment of the prominent areas occurred, even in those regions with extensive, histologically confirmed, myxomatous substitution of the native collagen tissue. CONCLUSION--Increment of the degree of mitral bulging occurring during ventricular systole can not be ascertained to cusp elasticity but probably to papilar muscle traction