Anat Cell Biol.  2017 Jun;50(2):152-154. 10.5115/acb.2017.50.2.152.

Functional and clinical importance of a large sized ostium secundum defect in a middle aged female cadaver: a case report

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Anatomy, Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal Campus), Manipal University, Manipal, India. nayaksathish@gmail.com

Abstract

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is one of the common congenital anomalies of the heart in humans. Its complications depend on the size of the defect and can manifest at any age. The common symptoms of ASD include dyspnea and fatigue. Most of the ASDs are associated with morbidity and mortality, Earlier the treatment, it is better to the patient. I saw a large ostium secundum defect in the heart of an adult female cadaver during dissection classes for undergraduate medical students. The interatrial septum had large defect at the region where fossa ovalis should have been located. It was about 1.25 inches in diameter and oval in shape. This type of large septal defect might result in cyanosis, stroke or death of the patient at any age.

Keyword

Atrial septal defect; Ostium secundum; Interatrial septum

MeSH Terms

Adult
Cadaver*
Cyanosis
Dyspnea
Fatigue
Female*
Heart
Heart Septal Defects, Atrial
Humans
Middle Aged*
Mortality
Stroke
Students, Medical

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Interior of the right atrium showing the large ostium secundum defect. Crista terminalis (CT) and musculi pectinati (MP) can also be seen.

  • Fig. 2 Closer view of the interior of the right atrium. CS, opening of coronary sinus; CT, crista terminalis; MP, musculi pectinati; OS, ostium secundum; SP, septum primum; SS, septum secundum.


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