Left Ventricle

Heart Anatomy

Left Ventricle

Position, external features, internal features and clinical anatomy of the left ventricle.

1

Position

  • The left ventricle receives oxygenated blood from the left atrium.
  • It pumps the blood into the aorta.
2

External Features

1 It forms

  • Apex of the heart
  • Part of the sternocostal surface
  • Most of the left border
  • Left surface
  • Left 2/3rd of the diaphragmatic surface

2 Surfaces

Externally, the left ventricle has 3 surfaces:

Anterior or sternocostal
Inferior or diaphragmatic
Left surface
3

Internal Features

1

Interior of Left Ventricle

The interior is divisible into 2 parts:

a. Lower Rough Part

  • Contains trabeculae carneae.
  • Develops from the primitive ventricle of the heart tube.

b. Upper Smooth Part / Aortic Vestibule

  • Gives origin to the ascending aorta.
  • Develops from the midportion of the bulbus cordis.
  • The vestibule lies between:
  • Membranous part of the interventricular septum
  • Anterior or aortic cusp of the mitral valve.
2

Orifices

The interior of the ventricle shows 2 orifices:

a. Left Atrioventricular Orifice

Also called:

  • Bicuspid orifice
  • Mitral orifice

Guarded by the bicuspid or mitral valve.

b. Aortic Orifice

  • Guarded by the aortic valve.
3

Papillary Muscles

There are 2 well-developed papillary muscles:

1. Anterior
2. Posterior
Chordae tendineae from both muscles are attached to both cusps of the mitral valve.
4

Cavity

  • The cavity of the left ventricle is circular in cross-section.
5

Wall Thickness

  • Walls of the left ventricle are 3 times thicker than those of the right ventricle.
4

Clinical Anatomy

Precordium

  • The area of the chest wall overlying the heart is called the precordium.

Inflammation of Heart Layers

Inflammation of the heart can involve more than one layer:

  • Pericardium → pericarditis
  • Myocardium → myocarditis
  • Endocardium → endocarditis

Ventricular Failure

  • Normally, the diastolic pressure in ventricles is zero.
  • A positive diastolic pressure in the ventricle is evidence of its failure.
  • Any one of the four chambers of the heart can fail separately.
  • Ultimately, the rising back pressure causes right-sided failure:
Also called congestive cardiac failure (CCF).

Associated with:

  • Increased venous pressure
  • Oedema on feet
  • Breathlessness on exertion
Right-sided heart failure due to lung disease is known as cor pulmonale.
Left Ventricle — Study Notes