The Heart
Muhammad Iqbal Basri
Department of Anatomy
Hasanuddin University
Position
Lies within the
pericardium in middle
mediastinum
Behind the body of
sternum and costal
cartilages 2 to 6
In front of thoracic
vertebrae 5 to 8
A third of it lies to the
right of median plan
and 2/3 to the left
External characteristics－a
hollow muscular organ, pyramidal
in shape , somewhat larger than
a closed fist; consists of four
chambers (right and left atria,
right and left ventricles)
Apex cordis is formed by left
ventricle and is directed
downwards and forwards to the
left. It lies at the level of the fifth
left intercostal space, 1~2cm
medial to the left midclavicular
line (9cm from the midline)
Basis cordis is formed by the left
atrium and to a small extent by
the right atrium. It faces backward,
upward and to the right
Two surface
Facies sternocostalis
is formed mainly by the right
atrium and right ventricle,
and a lesser portion of its
left is formed by the left
auricle and ventricle. It is
directed forwards and
upwards
Facies diaphragmaticus
is formed the ventricles－
chiefly the left ventricle,
directed backwards and
downwards, and rest upon
the central tendon of the
diaphragm
Three borders
Margo dextra (acutus)
－vertical, is formed
entirely by right atrium
Margo sinistra (obtusus)
－round, is mainly formed
by the left ventricle and
partly by the left auricle
Margo inferior－
horizontal, is formed by
the right ventricle and
cardiac apex
Four grooves
Sulcus coronarius (circular sulcus)
which marks the division between atria
and ventricles, contains the trunks of the
coronary vessels and completely
encircles the heart
Sulcus interatrialis －separates the two
atria and is hidden by pulmonary trunk
and aorta in front
Sulcus interventricularis －anterior
and posterior, mark the division between
ventricles (which separates the RV from
the LV), the two grooves extend from the
base of the ventricular potion to a notch
called: the incisura apex cordis
Crux atrioventricularis －a junction of the
posterior interventricular groove and
coronary sulcus
Chambers of the heart
Atrium dextra (RA)
Three inlets
Orificium vena cava superior －returns
blood to the heart from the upper half of
the body
Orifice of inferior vena cava －returns
blood to the heart from the lower half of the
body
Orificium sinus coronarius －returns
blood to the heart from the cardiac muscle
One outlet
－orificium atrioventricularis dextra
Crista terminalis
－vertical ridge thatjfrom superior
vena cave to inferior vena cave
Sulcus terminalis
－groove on exterior of heart that
corresponds to crista terminalis
Two parts－separated externally by
sulcus terminalis and internally by
the crista terminalis
Atrium proprius
In front of the ridge
Pectinate muscles in wall
Auricula dextra－a small
conical muscular pouch, projects
to the left from the root of
superior vena cava, pectinate
muscles in wall
Sinus venarum cavarum
Lies posterior to the ridge
Smooth walls
Fossa ovalis －an oval
depression, a remnant of the
fetal foramen ovale, on the lower
part of interatrial septum, the
most common location of atrial
septal defects (ASD)
Limbus fossae ovalis
– prominent margin of fossa
ovalis
Ventriculus dextra (RV)
Receives deoxygenated blood
from right atrium through right
atrioventricular orifice
One inlet－ orificium
artrioventricularis dextra
One outlet－orificium truncus
pulmonalis
Two parts－divided by the crista
supraventricularis, a muscular
ridge between right atrioventricular
orifice and orifice of pulmonary
trunk
Inflow tract－rough walls
Trabecula carnae
－irregularly arranged bundles
of myocardium
Trabecula septomarginal
－extends from interventricular
septum to base of anterior
papillary muscle, contains right
bundle branch
Musculus papillaris
－conical-shaped , anterior,
posterior and septal
Out flow tract
Conus arteriosus
cone-shaped, smooth area
leading upward to orifice of
pulmonary trunk
Pumps blood through
pulmonary orifice to pulmonary
trunk
Atrium sinistra (LA)
Auricula sinistra－projecting to
the right, pectinate muscles in wall
Four inlets－four orificium
pulmonalis open through the
posterior wall
One outlet－orificium
atrioventricular sinistra, blood
leaves through left atrioventricular
orifice to left ventricle
Ventriculus sinistra (LV)
Has wall three times thicker
than that of right ventricle
One inlet－orificium
atrioventricular sinistra
One outlet－orificium aorticus
Two parts－divided by anterior
cusps of mitral valve
Inflow tract－rough walls
Outflow tract – vestibulum
aorticus , smooth area leading to
aortic orifice
Valves
Valvula tricuspidalis
Guards right atrioventricular
orifice
Three triangular cusps: anterior,
posterior and septal, the base of
cusps are attached to fibrous ring
surrounding the atrioventricular
orifice
Chorda tendineae －fine, white,
connective tissue cords, attach
margin of cusps to musculus
papillaris
Valvula mitralis
Guards left atrioventricular
orifice
Two triangular cusps－anterior
and posterior with
commissural cusps between
them (posteromedial and
anterolateral commissures)
Similar structures to those of
right
Similar functions for right and left atriventricular valves
Open during diastole to allow blood to enter ventricles from
atria
Closed during systole to prevent regurgitation of blood into
atria
Valvula truncus
pulmonalis
Guards the orifice of
pulmonary trunk
Has three semilunar cusps –
each with free border that
has central nodulus
valvula semilunaris
Valvula aorticus
Guards the aortic orifice
Three semilunar cusps (right,
left and post)
Three aortic sinuses – bulges
in aortic wall at level of valve
that correspond to cusps
Right－contains opening
of right coronary artery
Left－contains opening of
left coronary artery
Posterior－no opening
Similar functions for
pulmonary and aortic
valves
Opening during systole,
with cusps pressed
toward wall of vessel as
blood is forced upward
Closed during diastole
Ventricular pressure drops
in diastole
Floating together of valve
cusps, with free borders
meeting, thus closing the
valve
Structure of the heart
Walls of heart
Endocardium－inner coat
of the heart wall, and
continuous with the valve
flaps
Myocardium
Arranged spirally
Attached to fibrous rings
surrouding the four
orifices of heart
Epicardium －serous
membrane (visceral
pericardium)
Septum interatrialis
Located between right and
left atria
Contains fossa ovalis and
limbus
Septum interventricularis
Located between right and
left ventricles
Has upper membranous
part
Has thick lower muscular
part
Fibrous skeleton
Fibrous rings that surround
the atrioventricular,
pulmonary, and aortic
orifices
Left and right fibrous trigons
Conduction system of heart
Consists of specialized
myocardial cells
Nodus Sinoatrialis
(SA node)
Called the pacemaker cell
(P cell)
Located at the junction of
right atrium and superior
vena cava, upper part of
the sulcus terminalis,
under the epicardium
Nodus atrioventricularis
(AV node)
Located in the lower part of interatrial
septum just above the orifice of
coronary sinus, under the
endocardium
Lower part related to membranous
part of interventricular septum
Atrioventricular
bundle/fasciculus (AV bundle)
Passes forward through right fibrous
trigon to reach inferior border of
membranous part
Divides into right and left bundle
branches at upper border of muscular
part of interventricular septum
Right and left bundle
branches
Right bundle branch－passes
down on right side of
interventricular septum to reach
the septomarginal trabecular and
into the base of anterior papillary
muscle. Here it becomes
continuous with the fibers of
Purkinje fibres
Left bundle branch－passes down
on left side of interventricular
septum beneath the endocardium.
It usually divides into two branches,
which eventually become
continuous with the Purkinje fibers
Purkinje fibers
－continuous with myocardium
Arterial supply
Arteri coronaria sinistra
Arises from left aortic sinus
Runs between pulmonary trunk and left
auricle into coronary sulcus
Branches
Ramus interventricularis anterior
－travels downward in anterior
interventricular groove around inferior
margin of heart to posterior interventricular
groove
Ramus circumflexus－travels to left in
coronary sulcus to posterior aspect
Distribution－supplies left atrium and
ventricle, lesser portion of anterior wall of
right ventricle, and anterior 2/3 of
interventricular septum
Arteri coronaria dextra
Arises from the right aortic sinus
Runs forward between right auricle
and pulmonary trunk into coronary
sulcus
Branches
Ramus marginalis dextra －travels
along inferior bord
Ramus interventricularis posteror
－travels downward in posterior
interventricular groove, it
anastomosises near the apex with
the anteriorinterventricular branch of
the left coronary artery
Distribution: supplies right atrium
and ventricle, posterior 1/3 of
interventricular septum, posterior wall
of left ventricle, the sinuatrial node
and atrioventricular node
Venous drainage
Sinus coronarius
Located in posterior part
of coronary sinus
Carries most of venous
blood from myocardium to
right atrium
Tributaries
Vena cordis magna
Vena cordis media
Vena cordis parva
Vena cordis anterior
－3~4 small vessels,
drain into right atrium
Smallest cardiac veins
－drain into all chambers,
mainly atria
Pericardium
Pericardium fibrosa
Attached to central tendon of
diaphragm inferiorly
Blends with outer coat of great
vessels superiorly
Pericardium serosa
Visceral pericardium (epicardium)
Parietal pericardium
Cavum pericardii
Potential space between visceral
and parietal pericardium
Contains film of pericardium fluid
Sinus pericardium
Sinus pericardium transversus －posterior to ascending
aorta and pulmonary trunk, anterior to superior vena cava
and left atrium.
Sinus pericardium oblique－cul-de-sac , posterior to heart,
bounded by pulmonary veins on either side
Surface markings of heart
Right border－corresponds to
a line running from the upper
border of right third costal
cartilage ±1.2cm from the
margin of sternum, downwards
to sixth sternocostal joint
Apex－in the fifth left
intercostal space 7~9cm from
the midline
Left border－represented by a
line running from apex
upwards and medially to a
point on lower border of left
second costal cartilage
±1.2cm from sternal margin
Lower border－represented
by a line joint the lower end of
right border to apex
Dissection of the heart
