3D CONTENT
3D HEART ANATOMY

CARDIAC SEPTUM

Author: Dr. Bogdan Leahu

In-Depth AR Atlas Available

Read the comprehensive anatomy description with AR illustrations and videos

Read AR Atlas →
← Myocardium & Conducting System Fibrous Skeleton →
Cardiac septum anatomy 360-degree interactive viewer showing interatrial septum, interventricular septum, and atrioventricular septum dividing heart chambers
Get the Full 3D Experience Get Full Immersive Experience

Cardiac Septum - Overview, Preview from the app.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CARDIAC SEPTUM

What is the cardiac septum?

  • Muscular walls dividing your heart chambers

Types of Septa

What are the types of cardiac septa?

  • Interatrial septum
  • Interventricular septum
  • Atrioventricular septum

Functions

What are the functions of the cardiac septum?

  • Maintain unidirectional blood flow through your heart
  • Prevent mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood

INTERATRIAL SEPTUM

Interatrial septum 360-degree viewer showing thin wall between right and left atria with fossa ovalis and limbus fossae ovalis
Get the Full 3D Experience Get Full Immersive Experience

Interatrial Septum, Preview from the app.

What is the interatrial septum?

  • Thin delicate wall between right and left atria
  • Prevents mixing of atrial blood
  • Maintains efficient circulation in your heart

Fossa Ovalis

What is the fossa ovalis?

  • Depression within the septum
  • Located in right atrium
  • Remnant of foramen ovale
  • Foramen ovale allowed fetal blood to bypass the lungs
  • Normally closes after birth

Limbus Fossae Ovalis

What is the limbus fossae ovalis?

  • Prominent ridge surrounding fossa ovalis
  • Borders the oval fossa
  • More pronounced superiorly
  • More pronounced along edges

ATRIOVENTRICULAR SEPTUM

Atrioventricular septum 360-degree viewer showing portion of septum between atria and ventricles with offset valve attachment
Get the Full 3D Experience Get Full Immersive Experience

Atrioventricular Septum, Preview from the app.

What is the atrioventricular septum?

  • Portion of septum between atria and ventricles
  • Results from offset attachment of atrioventricular valves:
    • Tricuspid valve
    • Mitral valve
  • Location:
    • Posterior to tricuspid valve hinge
  • Functions:
    • Maintains structural separation between your upper and lower chambers
    • Supports proper electrical conduction between your heart chambers

INTERVENTRICULAR SEPTUM

Interventricular septum 360-degree viewer showing robust muscular wall dividing left and right ventricles with muscular and membranous parts
Get the Full 3D Experience Get Full Immersive Experience

Interventricular Septum, Preview from the app.

What is the interventricular septum?

  • Robust muscular wall dividing your left and right ventricles
  • Separates oxygen-rich blood in your left ventricle from oxygen-poor blood in your right ventricle
  • Ensures efficient unidirectional blood flow through your heart
  • Composed of two parts:
    • Muscular part
    • Membranous part

Muscular Part

What is the muscular part of the interventricular septum?

  • Comprises majority of septum
  • Thick structure
  • Provides strength to withstand high ventricular pressures

Membranous Part

What is the membranous part of the interventricular septum?

  • Thinner section near atrioventricular valves
  • Composed primarily of fibrous tissue
  • Common site for ventricular septal defects
  • Congenital defects can cause abnormal interventricular blood flow
  • May require surgical correction

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Gray H, Lewis W. Angiology. In: Anatomy of the Human Body. 1918. p. 526–542.

2. Gosling JA, Harris PF, Humpherson JR, Whitmore I, Willan PLT. Human anatomy: color atlas and textbook. 6th ed. 2017. 45–58 p.

3. Anderson RH, Spicer DE, Hlavacek AM, Cook AC, Backer CL. (2013). Anatomy of the cardiac chambers. In Wilcox’s Surgical Anatomy of the Heart (4th ed., pp. 13–50). Cambridge University Press.

4. Fritsch H, Kuehnel W. Color Atlas of Human Anatomy. Vol. Volume 2, Color Atlas and Textbook of Human Anatomy. 2005. 10–42 p.

5. Moore K, Dalley A, Agur A. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. Vol. 7ed, Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 2014. 132–151 p.

6. Ho SYen. Anatomy for Cardiac Electrophysiologists: A Practical Handbook. Cardiotext Pub; 2012. 5–27 p.

7. The structure and organization of anatomical terms used in this text follow the guidelines provided by FIPAT (2019) in their publication: FIPAT. (2019). Terminologia Anatomica (2nd ed.). FIPAT.library.dal.ca. Federative International Programme for Anatomical Terminology. Retrieved May 7, 2023, from https://fipat.library.dal.ca/TA2/