The outflow tract of the left ventricle.

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The anatomy of the left ventricular outflow tract, which extends upwards from the apex of the chamber to the aortic valve, was described and illustrated. Its upper part is called the aortic vestibule, and its anterior wall is formed by the muscular and membranous parts of the interventricular septum with the atrio-ventricular bundle at their junction. The posterior wall of the vestibule is formed by the aortic cusp of the mitral valve, which divides the chamber into its inflow and outflow portions; it is attached to the cardiac skeleton not only at its base but also at its right and left sides. The importance of the cardiac skeleton, which is formed by the fusion of the fibrous rings surrounding each valve orifice, was emphasized, and attention was focused on the common attachment to it of the aortic cusp of the mitral valve and the adjacent parts of the 2 posterior cusps of the aortic valve. The terminal part of the right ventricular outflow tract lies in front and to the left side of the left ventricular outflow tract, and has a close relationship with the aortic vestibule or subaortic region.