The heart has 4 main sections, or "chambers. " � The top 2 chambers are called the right atrium and left atrium. The bottom 2 chambers are called the right and left ventricles. Each of these chambers has a valve (shown in gray) that keeps blood flowing in 1 direction. When the heart is working normally, blood comes in from the body through the right atrium and into the right ventricle. From there it goes to the lungs, where it picks up oxygen. Then the blood comes back through the left atrium, into the left ventricle, and out to the body through a blood vessel called the aorta (shown in red). When a baby has a total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, the blood from the lungs does not return to the left atrium. Instead, it returns to the right atrium, or another vein in the body and then into the right atrium.
Graphic 83996 Version 1.0
View Originalfigure 1Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection
The heart has 4 main sections, or "chambers. " � The top 2 chambers are called the right atrium and left atrium. The bottom 2 chambers are called the right and left ventricles. Each of these chambers has a valve (shown in gray) that keeps blood flowing in 1 direction. When the heart is working normally, blood comes in from the body through the right atrium and into the right ventricle. From there it goes to the lungs, where it picks up oxygen. Then the blood comes back through the left atrium, into the left ventricle, and out to the body through a blood vessel called the aorta (shown in red). When a baby has a total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, the blood from the lungs does not return to the left atrium. Instead, it returns to the right atrium, or another vein in the body and then into the right atrium.
Graphic 83996 Version 1.0
View Original