Foramen ovale
Foramen ovale is a hole located in the septum, which is the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart known as the atria. This hole is present in all fetuses and usually closes shortly after birth.
Anatomy[edit | edit source]
The anatomy of the foramen ovale is such that it allows blood to bypass the lungs in the fetal circulatory system. This is because the lungs are not yet in use before birth, and the foramen ovale allows oxygenated blood coming from the mother to circulate throughout the fetus's body.
Function[edit | edit source]
The primary function of the foramen ovale during fetal development is to allow blood to bypass the lungs, which are not yet in use. After birth, when the lungs become functional, the foramen ovale typically closes. If it remains open, it is referred to as a patent foramen ovale (PFO).
Patent Foramen Ovale[edit | edit source]
A patent foramen ovale is a condition where the foramen ovale fails to close after birth. This can lead to a number of health issues, including the potential for a stroke. Treatment for a PFO may include medication, or in some cases, surgery.
See Also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
| Foramen ovale Resources | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| |
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
