| left pulmonary artery | <anatomy, artery> The shorter of the two terminal branches of the pulmonary trunk, it pierces the pericardium to enter the hilum of the left lung. Its branches accompany the segmental and subsegmental bronchi. Branches to the superior lobe (rami lobi superioris ) are apical (ramus apicalis ), anterior ascending (ramus anterior ascendens ), anterior descending (ramus anterior descendens ), posterior (ramus posterior ), and lingular (ramus lingularis ), the last having inferior and superior branches (rami lingulares inferior et superior ). Branches to the inferior lobe (rami lobi inferioris ) are the superior branch of the inferior lobe (ramus superior lobi inferior ) and the medial (medialis), anterior, lateral (lateralis) and posterior basal branches (rami basalis ). Synonym: arteria pulmonalis sinistra. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| left sagittal fissure | A sagittal groove on the undersurface of the liver formed by the fissura ligamenti teretis anteriorly and the fissura ligamenti venosi posteriorly. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left-sided appendicitis | Appendicitis occurring on the left side of the abdomen, usually the left-lower quadrant, due to abnormal rotation of the gut (such as situs inversus). (05 Mar 2000) |
| left-sided heart failure | Inability of the left heart to maintain its circulatory load with corresponding rise in pressure in the pulmonary circulation usually with pulmonary congestion and ultimately pulmonary oedema. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left-sidedness | The normal left-sided location of certain unpaired organs, such as the spleen and most of the stomach. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left superior intercostal vein | <anatomy, vein> The vein formed by the union of the left second, third, and fourth intercostal veins; it passes forward across the arch of the aorta to empty into the left brachiocephalic vein and frequently communicates also with the accessory hemiazygos vein. Synonym: vena intercostalis superior sinistra. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left superior pulmonary vein | The vein returning oxygenated blood from the left superior lobe of the lung to the left atrium. Synonym: vena pulmonalis superior sinistra. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left suprarenal vein | <anatomy, vein> The vein from the hilum of the left suprarenal gland that passes downward to open into the left renal vein; it usually is joined by the left inferior phrenic vein. Synonym: vena suprarenalis sinistra. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left testicular vein | <anatomy, vein> Vein conveying blood from the left testis, originating as the pampiniform plexus and entering the left renal vein. Synonym: vena testicularis sinistra. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left-to-right shunt | A diversion of blood from the left side of the heart to right (as through a septal defect), or from the systemic circulation to the pulmonary (as through a patent ductus arteriosus). (05 Mar 2000) |
| left-to-right shunts | <radiology> Atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, aorticopulmonary window, endocardial cushion defect, partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (12 Dec 1998) |
| left triangular ligament | <anatomy> A triangular fold of fibrous connective tissue and peritoneum that extends from the left lobe of the liver to the diaphragm. Synonym: ligamentum triangulare sinistrum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left umbilical vein | <anatomy, vein> The vein that returns the blood from the placenta to the foetus; traversing the umbilical cord, it enters the foetal body at the umbilicus and passes thence into the liver, where it is joined by the portal vein; its blood then flows by way of the ductus venosus and the inferior vena cava to the right atrium. Synonym: vena umbilicalis sinistra. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left ventricle | <anatomy> The muscular chamber of the heart which accepts blood from the left atrium and ejects it into the aorta to the systemic circulation. (27 Sep 1997) |
| left-ventricular assist device | Mechanical pump inserted at some point in the circulation to parallel the activity of the left ventricle and thereby reduce its load. (05 Mar 2000) |