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Bassett Collection of Stereoscopic Images of Human Anatomy

Dissection of pericardium and heart in situ

Interatrial cleavage plane

Image #118-1

KEYWORDS: Heart, Pericardial sac, Right heart.

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Dissection of pericardium and heart in situ
Interatrial cleavage plane
An incision has been made in the epicardium (6) bordering the right atrium. The superior vena cava and upper part of the right atrium have been reflected anteriorly and to the left to display the plane of cleavage between the myocardial layers of the right and left atria. In the upper part of the area of contact of the atria there is no interconnection of the two myocardial layers. In the lower part (9), which overlies the point of entrance of the lower right pulmonary vein into the left atrium, there is considerable interweaving of muscle fibers of the two atria. The proximity of this cleavage plane to the fossa ovalis can be readily visualized, although the fossa ovalis is partially obscured in this view.
  1. Azygos vein (divided)
  2. Right main bronchus
  3. Tracheobronchial lymph node
  4. Cardiac plexus
  5. Right pulmonary artery
  6. Incision in epicardium to display interatrial cleavage plane
  7. Myocardium of left atrium (overlying upper right pulmonary vein)
  8. Nerve filament of cardiac plexus
  9. Area of intermingling atrial muscle fasciculi
  10. Sino-atrial node
  11. Fossa ovalis
  12. Wall of right atrium
  13. Pericardium
  14. Right phrenic nerve
  15. Ascending aorta
  16. Superior vena cava (retracted)
  17. Left coronary artery
  18. Latex cast within left ventricle
  19. Interventricular septum
  20. Border of fossa ovalis
  21. Right ventricle
  22. Latex cast within inferior vena cava