Abstract Background The left ventricle is built to carry out its function as a powerful pump. To detail recent findings of anatomical variants associated with the left ventricular compartment, we will first review the external and general features, followed by the internal features and subsequently, the standard variants that can exist within this chamber of the heart. Methods This literature review seeks to collate and discuss peer-reviewed articles on the anatomy of the left ventricle. Results The left ventricle has many unique features including walls that are thicker than those of the right ventricle, an overlap of its inlet and outlet portions, and the hinge of the leaflets of the mitral valve that are oriented cranially relative to those of the tricuspid valve. Conclusion While the left ventricle shares many characteristics with that of the right ventricle, the unique features may contribute to cardiac pathology and can also be used to the surgeon's advantage in treating disease.
Abstract Objectives To characterize morphologic variations in the papillary muscles and tendinous cords of the left ventricle and ventricular zones of the mitral valve leaflets. Methods A total of 100 autopsied human hearts from healthy donors with classical mitral valve type were investigated. Results In 1 heart, only 1 group of papillary muscles was found, and in the remaining 99%, we could distinguish 2 groups of muscles: Superolateral (SLPM) and inferoseptal papillary muscle (ISPM) groups. T...
Abstract Objectives The rapid development of surgical and less-invasive percutaneous mitral valve repair procedures has increased interest in mitral valve anatomy. We characterize the morphologic variability of the mitral valve leaflets and provide the size of their particular parts. Methods We studied 200 autopsied human hearts from white individuals without any valvar diseases. We measured the intercommissural and aorto-mural diameters of the mitral annulus and identified the leaflets and thei...
Last. R. Shane Tubbs(St. George's University)H-Index: 69
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The nature, function, and anatomy of the heart have been extensively studied since 3500 B.C. Greek and Egyptian science developed a basic understanding of the heart, although this was primarily related to religious beliefs. During the Hippocratic era, Hippocrates and his colleagues developed a more scientific and less religious understanding of the cardiovascular system. The post-Hippocratic era was characterized by more advanced descriptions of the location, structure, and function of the heart...
Last. Farhood Saremi(SC: University of Southern California)H-Index: 24
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The establishment of radiofrequency catheter ablation techniques as the mainstay in the treatment of tachycardia has renewed new interest in cardiac anatomy. The interventional arrhythmologist has drawn attention not only to the gross anatomic details of the heart but also to architectural and histological characteristics of various cardiac regions that are relevant to the development or recurrence of tachyarrhythmias and procedural related complications of catheter ablation. In this review, the...
Last. Carl L. Backer(Children's Memorial Hospital)H-Index: 76
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Preface Acknowledgements 1. Surgical approaches to the heart 2. Anatomy of the cardiac chambers 3. Surgical anatomy of the valves of the heart 4. Surgical anatomy of the coronary circulation 5. Surgical anatomy of cardiac conduction 6. Analytic description of congenitally malformed hearts 7. Lesions with normal segmental connections 8. Lesions in hearts with abnormal segmental connections 9. Abnormalities of the great vessels 10. Positional anomalies of the heart Index.
The aortic root connects the heart to the systemic circulation and is a highly sophisticated and complex structure. Each component of the aortic root - although simple in its macroscopic morphology - has an optimal macroscopic and microscopic structure and anatomical architecture (1) which contributes to the function of the aortic root as a whole: the intermittent, unidirectional channeling of large volumes of fluid, while maintaining laminar flow, minimal resistance and least possible tissue st...
Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess deformation dynamics and in vivo mechanical properties of the aortic annulus throughout the cardiac cycle. Background Understanding dynamic aspects of functional aortic valve anatomy is important for beating-heart transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Methods Thirty-five patients with aortic stenosis and 11 normal subjects underwent 256-slice computed tomography. The aortic annulus plane was reconstructed in 10% increments over the cardiac cy...
Last. Hung-Chi Lue(NTU: National Taiwan University)H-Index: 26
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Background Left ventricular false tendons (LVFTs) are fibrous or fibromuscular bands stretching across the left ventricle (LV) from the ventricular septum to the papillary muscle or LV free wall but not connecting, like the chordae tendinae, to the mitral leaflet. LVFTs have become the focus of studies and discussions since the advent of echocardiography. Materials and Methods We prospectively studied the prevalence of LVFTs by two-dimensional echocardiography in 476 infants and children referre...
Last. Mateusz K. Hołda(Jagiellonian University Medical College)H-Index: 15
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The left ventricular summit (LVS) is a triangular area located at the most superior portion of the left epicardial ventricular region, surrounded by the two branches of the left coronary artery: the left anterior interventricular artery and the left circumflex artery. The triangle is bounded by the apex, septal and mitral margins and base. This review aims to provide a systematic and comprehensive anatomical description and proper terminology in the LVS region that may facilitate exchanging info...
Abstract Background The clinical anatomy of the left atrium is of special interest since many invasive procedures are performed within this chamber. Pulmonary vein isolation, linear transcatheter ablations, transcatheter mitral valve repair procedures and left atrial appendage occlusions are examples of highly effective procedures done within the left atrial chamber. Methods This narrative literature review seeks to discuss the latest articles about the anatomy of left atrial structures. Results...