Anatomy of Fossa Ovalis
The fossa ovalis is a depressed structure, of varying shapes, present in the inferior aspect of the right inter-atrial septum. it is a remnant of an interatrial opening and the foramen ovale, which has a significant role in fetal circulation, the fossa ovalis is the combination of the septum primum and septum secundum. Although the fossa ovalis appears two-dimensional in shape, but it’s actually a three-dimensional structure. It most commonly has an oval shape but may be circular or even elliptical. The shape and size of the fossa ovalis vary from person to person but it correlates with an individual’s weight of heart, age, and body weight. It consists of the septum secundum, septum primum, and the annulus or limbus fossa ovalis which raises around the perimeter of the fossa ovalis. The opening of the inferior vena cava lies just below and rightward to the fossa ovalis. The coronary sinus is located at the interior of the fossa ovalis, and along the same horizontal plane of the fossa ovalis lies the bundle of His.
The floor of the fossa ovalis is formed from the septum primum which is present on the left atrial side, whereas the septum secundum derived from a bundle of the roof of the atrium, forms the limbus of the fossa ovalis. Physiologic increase in the left heart pressure at the time of birth allows the septum primum to create a tight seal with the septum secundum, forming the fossa ovalis.
Fossa Ovalis
The heart is a muscular organ that circulates blood through the circulatory/vascular systems around the body. It assists in the distribution of oxygen to every region of the body. The heart is shaped like a quadrangular pyramid, with the anterior thoracic wall at its apex and the posterior thoracic wall at its base. It is split into two halves by a septum or partition. Four chambers are created by further dividing these sections. It is situated in the middle of the mediastinum and is surrounded by the pericardium, a two-layered sac filled with fluid. Electrical impulses generated by this muscle cause the heart to beat and pump blood throughout the body. The large blood vessels that branch out from the heart supply blood to the upper and lower limbs, thorax, and belly. The cardiovascular system of the body is made up of the heart and the circulatory system.
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