Pulmonary trunk
Pulmonary Trunk
The Pulmonary Trunk (pronounced: puhl-MON-uh-ree truhngk) is a major vessel of the human heart that originates from the right ventricle. It splits into two pulmonary arteries, which direct the blood towards the lungs for oxygenation.
Etymology
The term 'Pulmonary' is derived from the Latin word 'pulmo', meaning 'lung', and 'trunk' refers to the main part of something. Thus, the 'Pulmonary Trunk' refers to the main vessel leading to the lungs.
Structure and Function
The Pulmonary Trunk is a short and wide arterial vessel, approximately 5 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter. It extends upwards and backwards from the right ventricle of the heart, and at the level of the fifth thoracic vertebra, it bifurcates into the left and right pulmonary arteries.
The primary function of the Pulmonary Trunk is to transport deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs. This process is a crucial part of the pulmonary circulation, which is responsible for oxygenating the blood.
Related Terms
- Pulmonary Arteries: These are the two vessels that the Pulmonary Trunk splits into. They carry deoxygenated blood to the left and right lungs, respectively.
- Right Ventricle: This is the chamber of the heart from which the Pulmonary Trunk originates.
- Pulmonary Circulation: This is the portion of the cardiovascular system which carries deoxygenated blood away from the heart, to the lungs, and returns oxygenated blood back to the heart.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Pulmonary trunk
- Wikipedia's article - Pulmonary trunk
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