The relative importance of the anterior and posterior mitral chordae tendineae to global left ventricular performance, independent of load, was determined by sequentially measuring the slope of the left ventricular peak isovolumetric pressure-volume relation in a canine model with the chordae of both, either, and neither mitral leaflet(s) intact. The order in which the chordae were severed was randomly assigned. Compared to baseline values (both chordae intact), severing the chordae of the anterior leaflet (posterior leaflet chordae intact) reduced the slope of the pressure-volume relation by 27% (p = 0.005) in 10 dogs; the slope decreased by an additional 16% (p = 0.017) when the posterior chordae were subsequently severed in this group. In 10 dogs randomized to the reverse order, the slope of the pressure-volume relation decreased by 17% (p = 0.021) after the posterior chordae were severed (anterior leaflet chordae intact); an additional 24% decrease in the slope (p = 0.001) occurred when the chordae of the anterior leaflet were subsequently severed in this group. The chordae of the anterior and posterior mitral leaflets have an additive, but statistically indistinguishable (p = 0.140), influence upon global left ventricular systolic performance; however, the contribution of the anterior chordae tends to be more important. Thus preservation of the anterior mitral leaflet and its chordal attachments to the papillary muscles during mitral valve replacement may have an equal or greater impact upon postoperative left ventricular function than mitral valve replacement with preservation of the posterior chordae; however, severing either the anterior or posterior chordae appears to be detrimental.