| shunt, left to right | A term used to describe the diversion of blood from the higher pressure left side of the heart to the right side (pulmonary circuit). Can be seen in ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus (congenital at birth). (27 Sep 1997) |
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| shunt, right to left | <cardiology> A term used to describe the diversion of blood from the right side of the heart to the left. Long standing left to right shunts can lead to increased right sided pressures in the pulmonary circuit (pulmonary hypertension). Eventually the left to right shunt reverses and blood flows from the right to the left. Can be seen in large untreated ventricular septal defect or atrial septal defect. (27 Sep 1997) |
| hypertrophy, left ventricular | Enlargement of the left ventricle of the heart. This increase in ventricular mass is attributed to sustained abnormal pressure or volume loads and is a contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. (12 Dec 1998) |
| hypoplastic left heart syndrome | <syndrome> Underdevelopment of the left side of the heart characterised by: aortic valve atresia, hypoplastic ascending aorta, hypoplastic/atretic mitral valve, endocardial fibroelastosis most common cause of congestive heart failure in neonate, 25% of cardiac deaths in 1st week of life, prognosis: 100% fatal by 6 weeks haemodynamics: pulmonary venous return is diverted from LA to RA through atrial septal defect, RV supplies pulmonary artery, ductus arteriosus, descending aorta (antegrade flow), aortic arch, ascending aorta, coronary circulation (retrograde flow), leads to RV work overload and congestive heart failure Treatment: Norwood procedure (palliative), transplant (12 Dec 1998) |
| deviation to the left | A marked increase in the percentage of immature cells in the circulating blood, based on the premise in haematology that the bone marrow with its immature myeloid cells is on the left, while the circulating blood with its mature neutrophils is on the right. Synonym: deviation to the left. See: maturation index. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ischemic contracture of the left ventricle | Irreversible contraction of the left ventricle of the heart as a complication seen in the early period of cardiopulmonary bypass and now avoided by appropriate cardioplegic solutions. Synonym: myocardial rigor mortis, stone heart. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oblique vein of left atrium | A small vein on the posterior wall of the left atrium which merges with the great cardiac vein to form the coronary sinus; it is developed from the left common cardinal vein, and occasionally persists as a left superior vena cava. Synonym: vena obliqua atrii sinistri, Marshall's oblique vein. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fold of left vena cava | A pericardial fold lying between the left oblique vein of the atrium and the left superior pulmonary vein containing the obliterated remains of the left superior vena cava. Synonym: plica venae cavae sinistrae, Marshall's vestigial fold, vestigial fold. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left | Of or pertaining to that side of the body in man on which the muscular action of the limbs is usually weaker than on the other side; opposed to right, when used in reference to a part of the body; as, the left ear. Also said of the corresponding side of the lower animals. Left bank of a river, that which is on the left hand of a person whose face is turned downstream. Left bower. See Bower. Left center, the members whose sympathies are, in the main, with the members of the Left, but who do not favor extreme courses, and on occasions vote with the government. They sit between the Center and the extreme Left. Over the left shoulder, or Over the left, an old but still current colloquialism, or slang expression, used as an aside to indicate insincerity, negation, or disbelief; as, he said it, and it is true, over the left. Origin: OE. Left, lift, luft; akin to Fries. Leeft, OD.lucht, luft; cf. AS.left (equiv. To L. Inanis), lyftadl palsy; or cf. AS.lf weak. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| left atrial pressure | <radiology> 15-20 mm Hg redistribution 20-25 interstitial oedema 25-30 airspace oedema (12 Dec 1998) |
| left atrioventricular valve | <anatomy, cardiology> The heart valve that divides the left atrium and left ventricle. During left atrial contraction, the mitral valve opens to allow blood to flow into the left ventricle. Upon closure, the mitral valve prohibits the regurgitation of blood back into the left atrium. The mitral valve is the only heart valve that has only 2 valve cusps (all others have 3). (13 Nov 1997) |
| left atrium | <anatomy> The thin-walled chamber of the heart which pumps blood into the left ventricle for ejection into the systemic circulation. (27 Sep 1997) |
| left auricular appendage | The small conical projection from the left atrium of the heart. Synonym: auricula sinistra, left auricular appendage. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left axis deviation | A mean electrical axis of the heart pointing to -30 |
| left colic flexure | The bend at the junction of the transverse and descending colon. Synonym: flexura coli sinistra, splenic flexure. (05 Mar 2000) |