IJAR.2025.247
Type of Article: Original Research
Volume 13; Issue 4 (December 2025)
Page No.: 9374-9380
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.16965/ijar.2025.247
The Variations of the Pulmonary Ostia and the number of pulmonary veins in the Left Atrium relative to the position of Fossa Ovalis: A Cadaveric Study
Sobana M 1, D. Geeta Anasuya *2, Vijaianand M 3, Sakthivel M 4.
1 Tutor, Dept of Anatomy, KMCH Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. ORCiD: 0000-0001-8278-1776
*2 Professor, Dept of Anatomy, KMCH Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. ORCiD: 0000-0002-5965-5728
3 Professor & Head, Dept of Anatomy, KMCH Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. ORCiD: 0000-0003-3608-5002
4 Assistant Professor, Dept of Anatomy, KMCH Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. ORCiD: 0009-0002-8100-9295
Corresponding Author: Dr Geeta Anasuya Daliparthi, Professor, Department of Anatomy, KMCH Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Coimbatore – 14, Tamil Nadu, India. E-Mail: geetagee1@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Background: Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia, with pulmonary veins playing a key role in its initiation. The isolation of pulmonary vein is the preferred treatment for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation so a detailed anatomical knowledge of pulmonary veins is essential.
Purpose of the study: The present study aims to document the draining patterns of pulmonary veins and their distance from the fossa ovalis.
Methodology & results: In routine dissection done for undergraduate students an observative study was done on 38 adult cadaveric hearts to determine the variations in number of pulmonary veins, differences in the size of pulmonary ostia and their location with respect to the fossa ovalis.
Results: Out of 38 cadaveric hearts dissected, 10 (26.3%) deviated from the classical 4 Pulmonary vein pattern. 2.6% were Type IIa, IIIa, and Vb, 73.7% were Type IVa, 10.5% were Va and 7.9% were unclassified.
Conclusion: The knowledge of these variations of pulmonary veins is of great clinical importance due to the increase of interventional procedures that require access to left atrium such as catheter ablations and valvular repairs.
Keywords: Atrial fibrillation, pulmonary vein ostia, fossa ovalis, left atrium.
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