Mitral

facies In geology, a facies ( , ; same pronunciation and spelling in the plural) is a body of rock with specified characteristics, which can be any observable attribute of rocks (such as their overall appearance, composition, or condition of formatio ...

is a distinctive facial appearance associated with

mitral stenosis Mitral stenosis is a valvular heart disease characterized by the narrowing of the opening of the mitral valve of the heart. It is almost always caused by rheumatic valvular heart disease. Normally, the mitral valve is about 5 cm2 during d ...

. Someone with mitral stenosis may present with rosy cheeks, whilst the rest of the face has a bluish tinge due to

cyanosis Cyanosis is the change of body tissue color to a bluish-purple hue as a result of having decreased amounts of oxygen bound to the hemoglobin in the red blood cells of the capillary bed. Body tissues that show cyanosis are usually in locations ...

. This is especially so in severe mitral stenosis. Because low cardiac output in mitral stenosis produces vasoconstriction, peripheral cyanosis is often seen in the lips, the tip of nose, and the cheeks. Occasionally, along with these, malar flush is seen, because of vasodilation (vascular stasis) in the malar area.

References

http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/cardiovascular_disorders/valvular_disorders/mitral_stenosis.html Medical signs {{med-sign-stub eu:Fazies (medikuntza)