What should be included in a schematic diagram of the heart?
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Direction of blood flow, all named chambers, valves, and arteries and veins that receive or return blood.
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What should be included in a schematic diagram of the heart?
Direction of blood flow, all named chambers, valves, and arteries and veins that receive or return blood.
Why is it important to understand the spatial relationships of heart chambers and valves?
To be confident in knowledge of blood flow through the heart and its inflow and outflow tracts.
What is the function of the coronary sinus?
It allows venous return to the heart from the great cardiac vein.
What is the name of the vein that drains the heart's own structural blood supply?
Great cardiac vein.
What is the first step in the dissection process of the heart?
Identify the interventricular groove by palpating differences in the thickness of the ventricular walls.
What connects the papillary muscles to the valve leaflets?
Chordae tendineae.
What should be compared at the end of the dissection?
The structure of the aortic valve with that of the pulmonic valve.
What is the function of the valve of the foramen ovale?
It allowed blood to bypass the lungs in fetal circulation and is represented by the fossa ovalis in adults.
What is the pathway of blood flow from the left coronary artery?
From the left coronary artery to the right atrium and then through the heart back to the left coronary artery.
What is the first step in dissecting the right atrium?
Incise the lateral wall of both the cranial and caudal vena cavae along the probe.
What is the first chamber to receive venous return?
Right atrium.
What is the significance of the valve of the foramen ovale?
It indicates where blood was shunted from the right atrium to the left atrium during fetal development.
What anatomical feature is noted at the bifurcation of the trachea?
The carina.
What are the two small triangular flaps on the heart called?
Auricles.
What arteries take blood away from the heart?
The aorta and pulmonary arteries, delivering blood to the body and lungs respectively.
Why do the walls of the pulmonary arteries and veins not differ significantly in thickness?
Both carry blood at similar pressures, hence similar wall thickness.
What should you cut around to dissect the right ventricle?
Cut just adjacent to the interventricular groove entirely around the right ventricle.
What is the conus arteriosus?
The outflow tract of the right ventricle that directs blood through the pulmonary valve.
What should be compared when examining the left AV valve?
Its features with those of the right AV valve.
Why are these structures important to understand in adult anatomy?
They are remnants of fetal circulation that indicate how blood flow changes after birth.
What organs will be explored in the next dissection related to systemic circulation?
The lungs, esophagus, and thoracic body wall.
What structure prevents turbulent blood flow in the right atrium?
The intervenous tubercle.
What is the smooth-walled part of the right atrium called?
Sinus venarum.
What is the purpose of cutting through the caudal part of the right AV valve?
To adequately expose the ventricular wall.
What is the function of the pulmonary veins in the lungs?
They drain blood from each lung lobe directly into the left atrium.
What anatomical structures can be identified in the medial view of the right lung?
Pulmonary artery, bronchi, pulmonary ligament, cranial lobe, middle lobe, accessory lobe, caudal lobe, and pulmonary veins.
What features should you demonstrate on an isolated heart to discriminate anatomical orientations?
Cranial/caudal, medial/lateral, dorsal/ventral.
What should you ideally be able to do with the diagram of blood flow pathways?
Draw your own version with superimposed blood flow pathways.
What is meant by structural and functional blood supplies of an organ?
Structural refers to the physical blood vessels, while functional refers to the blood's role in supplying nutrients and oxygen.
What tubular organs are associated with the hilus of an isolated lung?
Bronchi, pulmonary arteries, and veins, all playing roles in oxygenation.
What does the fossa ovalis represent?
An adult remnant of the foramen ovale, which was important in fetal circulation.
Where do the coronary arteries originate?
From the ascending portion of the aorta at the dilated sinus of the aorta.
What is the relationship between the heart, pericardial cavity, and mediastinum?
The heart is located within the pericardial cavity, which is situated in the mediastinum.
What is the surface of the heart you see when opening the left lateral body wall?
Auricular surface.
What is the ligamentum arteriosum?
A cord-like structure spanning the distance between the pulmonary trunk and the aorta.
What is the volume of blood that the heart uses to fulfill its function called?
Functional blood supply.
What anatomical feature defines the position of the foramen ovale in the left atrium?
The fossa ovalis.
What are the three semilunar cusps associated with?
The pulmonary valve.
What relationship should be noted during the dissection of the aorta?
The relationship of the aorta to the pulmonary trunk.
What should you observe regarding the pulmonary veins during dissection?
They may contain red latex, indicating oxygenated blood returning to the heart.
What circulatory flow is completed when blood travels through the aorta?
The systemic circulatory flow.
What unique features should be described for each of the four chambers of the heart?
Each chamber's specific structure and function.
What are the pectinate muscles?
Elaborate muscular bands found on the internal surface of the right auricle and lateral surface of the right atrium.
What vein may empty directly into the right atrium or the cranial vena cava?
Azygous vein.
What structures need to be cut through to expose the right ventricle?
The left pulmonary artery, pulmonary trunk, and the wall of the right ventricle along the interventricular groove.
What distinguishes the bronchi from arteries and veins in the lungs?
Bronchi have walls made of incomplete cartilage plates.
What is the relationship between the pulmonary veins, pulmonary artery, and principal bronchi at the hilus of the lung?
They are spatially related, with specific positions relative to each other.
What is a good way to orient yourself to the heart?
Discriminate between right and left ventricles and appreciate the size differences between the atria and ventricles.
What lies between the two auricles?
The pulmonary trunk.
What are the two large veins that return blood to the right atrium?
Cranial and caudal venae cavae.
What large arterial vessel originates from the right ventricle?
The pulmonary trunk.
What is the first step in dissecting the left side of the heart?
Make a longitudinal cut through the lateral wall of the left atrium.
What is important to visualize regarding the left atrium and left ventricle during dissection?
Their dynamics during systole and diastole as closed chambers.
What is the ligamentum arteriosum?
An adult remnant of the ductus arteriosus, crucial for fetal circulation.
What arteries supply oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to the heart?
The right and left coronary arteries.
What should be removed to better appreciate the heart's relationships?
The pericardium.
What veins bring blood directly to the heart?
The superior and inferior vena cavae, draining blood from the body.
What is the mechanism of valve opening and closing in relation to the cardiac cycle?
Valves open and close based on pressure changes during the cardiac cycle, producing heart sounds.
How can you distinguish between pulmonary arteries and veins?
You cannot distinguish them based on wall thickness and elasticity, unlike systemic arteries and veins.
What distinguishes the pulmonary trunk from the pulmonary veins?
The pulmonary trunk supplies each lung with a single pulmonary artery, while multiple pulmonary veins drain each lung lobe.
What is the significance of the impressions of the cranial vena cava, azygous vein, descending aorta, and heart on the right lung?
They indicate the spatial relationships of major blood vessels and the heart to the lung.
What is the term for the blood supply and drainage to an organ?
Structural blood supply.
How should the incision be extended to open the left ventricle?
Through the left AV valve and midway between the interventricular groove on either side.
What should be probed from the ventricular side during dissection?
The outflow track of the left ventricle through the aortic valve.
Where do the principal bronchi branch from?
The trachea at the carina.
How can you distinguish bronchi from blood vessels in imaging?
By noting their relative sizes and shapes in CT or radiographic images.
