Anatomy of Heart
All the venous blood from the heart arrives at the coronary sinus which is located in the atrioventricular groove. The coronary sinus is the biggest cardiac vein, and it empties directly into the right atrium at the conjunction of the coronary and the interventricular grooves.
Nivedita Dar2 Aug, 2024
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Anatomy of Heart: a central pumping organ key to survival - Heart is a muscular organ which is situated in the mediastinal cavity of chest. Heart is the pumping organ of the body which pumps blood to all parts of the body.
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Location
The heart is located in the thoracic cavity( space surrounded by rib cage and musculature), between the lungs, slightly to the left of the midline of the body. It rests on the diaphragm and is protected by the ribcage. The heart is positioned behind the sternum and in front of the vertebral column, with its apex pointing downward and to the left. The heart is shaped as a quadrangular pyramid. Its base faces the posterior thoracic wall, and its apex is pointed toward the anterior thoracic wall.Layers covering the heart
The heart is composed of three primary layers, each with distinct functions. These are outermost epicardium, middle myocardium and the innermost is the endocardium. Myocardium is responsible for the heart's contractile function, pumping blood out of the heart and throughout the body.Structure
The heart is composed of four chambers, functioning as two separate pumps (right and left) to facilitate blood flow through the systemic(to the whole body) and pulmonary(to the lungs) circulations. Right atrium These are two small chambers in the heart which are the right and the left atrium. The right atrium receives deoxygenated(with low oxygen content) blood from the entire body, excluding the lungs, via the superior and inferior vena cavae. The right atrium functions as the reservoir for collecting deoxygenated blood from the body. Right ventricle The right ventricle receives deoxygenated blood from the right atrium through the tricuspid valve. The right ventricle pumps blood through the right ventricular outflow tract, across the pulmonic valve, and into the pulmonary artery, which carries it to the lungs for oxygenation( increasing the oxygen content) . The wall of the right ventricle is thinner than that of the left ventricle because it only needs to pump blood a short distance to the lungs Left atrium Left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs through pulmonary veins which are four in number. This blood is freshly oxygenated after passing through the capillaries in the lungs. Oxygenated blood fills the left ventricle, passing through the mitral valve. Left ventricle The left ventricle is the primary pumping chamber of the systemic circulation . It receives the oxygenated blood from the left atria through the mitral valve present between the left atrium and left ventricle. Left ventricle pumps this freshly oxygenated blood into the systemic circulation through the aortic valve. The walls of the left ventricle are thicker as compared to the right ventricle because the left ventricle must pump blood throughout the entire body.Valves of the heart
Heart valves separate the atria from the ventricles and the ventricles from the great vessels. These valves consist of two or three leaflets (cusps) that surround the atrioventricular openings and the bases of the great vessels. There are two sets of valves: atrioventricular and semilunar. The atrioventricular valves prevent backflow from the ventricles to the atria. Semilunar valves prevent backflow from the great vessels to the ventriclesPapillary muscles:
Papillary muscles are small, finger-like projections of cardiac muscle located within the ventricles of the heart. They play a crucial role in the function of the heart's valves, specifically the atrioventricular (AV) valves (the tricuspid valve on the right side and the mitral valve on the left side). Backward prolapse( ballooning into the atrium) of the cusps is prevented by the chordae tendineae–also known as the heart strings–fibrous cord-like structure that connect the papillary muscles of the ventricular wall to the atrioventricular valves.Coronary circulation:
The heart must also be supplied with oxygenated blood. This is done by the two coronary arteries: left and right. Heart muscles work constantly so the heart has a very high nutrient need. The coronary arteries rise from the aortic sinuses(dilated structures) at the beginning of the ascending aorta, and then circle the heart–giving off several branches. In this way, oxygenated blood reaches every part of the heart.Coronary sinus:
Venous blood from the heart is collected into the cardiac veins: middle, posterior, and small. They are all tributaries to coronary sinus–a large vessel that delivers deoxygenated blood from the myocardium to the right atrium.Anatomy of Heart FAQs
Describe the function of the heart’s pacemaker ?
The sinus node, the heart’s pacemaker, is situated at the junction of the superior vena cava and the right atrium. It rhythmically generates an electrical discharge about 70 times a minute, initiating the heart's contraction cycle.
How does the right ventricle function?
The right ventricle receives deoxygenated blood from the right atrium through the tricuspid valve. It then pumps this blood through the right ventricular outflow tract, across the pulmonic valve, and into the pulmonary artery, which carries it to the lungs for oxygenation.
What is the tetralogy of fallot ?
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a congenital heart defect that consists of four anatomical abnormalities of the heart. These abnormalities occur together and affect the flow of blood through the heart and to the rest of the body.
What is the location of the heart in the body?
The heart is located in the thoracic cavity, between the lungs, slightly to the left of the midline of the body. It rests on the diaphragm and is protected by the ribcage. Positioned behind the sternum and in front of the vertebral column, its apex points downward and to the left.
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