Disorders of Fossa Ovalis
- Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO): Patent Foramen Ovale occurs when there is a failure of closure of the foramen ovale created by the septa. The size of a patent foramen ovale largely depends on its clinical severity. It is characterized clinically by the presence of migraines, decompression sickness, and paradoxical emboli and strokes. This type of defect generally works like a flap valve, opening during particular conditions of increased pressure in the chest, such as during strain while having a bowel movement, cough, or sneeze.
- Atrial septal defect (ASD): Atrial septal defects are the result of the failure to form either the interatrial septa (septum primum, septum secundum) or sinus venosus. It may occur in isolation or as part of a syndrome. Several genes have been implicated in the development of atrial septal defects. Atrial septal defects may undergo spontaneous closure depending on their initial size at the time of diagnosis, found to be the best predictor of the progression of such defects. Atrial septal defects that are not diagnosed until adulthood can damage the heart and lungs, shortening life.
- Rheumatic heart disease: It is a condition where the heart valves have been damaged permanently by rheumatic fever. The shape and structure of the fossa ovalis are changed in the course of rheumatic heart disease. This disease results in extensive scarring of valves and other components of the heart. Shortness of breath and chest discomfort, fever, Nodules (lumps under the skin), and swollen, tender red, and extremely painful joints are a few symptoms of Rheumatic heart disease.
- Cardiac arrhythmias: It is an irregular heartbeat. This problem in the heart rhythm occurs when the electrical signals that coordinate the heart’s beats don’t work properly. The defective signaling causes the heart to beat too fast (tachycardia) or too slow (bradycardia) or irregularly. Fluttering in the chest, racing heartbeat, slow heartbeat, chest pain, and shortness of breath are a few symptoms of cardiac arrhythmias. The treatment of heart arrhythmias may include medications, catheter procedures, implanted devices, or surgery to control or eliminate fast, slow or irregular heartbeats.
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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