An anatomical space in the fetal heart that allows blood to enter the left atrium from the right atrium. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foramen_ovale_(heart) ]
Synonyms: ostium secundum of Born falx septi Bottalo's foramen foramen ovale cordis
Term information
- NCIT:C34241
- UMLS:C0016521 (ncithesaurus:Oval_Foramen)
- EHDAA2:0004142
- galen:ForamenOvaleCordis
- MA:0001873
- FMA:86043
- EMAPA:18244
- null:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foramen_ovale_(heart)
- null:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/umls/id/C0016521
- null:http://www.snomedbrowser.com/Codes/Details/362015004
It is one of two fetal cardiac shunts, the other being the ductus arteriosus (which allows blood that still escapes to the right ventricle to bypass the pulmonary circulation). Another similar adaptation in the fetus is the ductus venosus[WP]
In most individuals, the foramen ovale closes at birth. It later forms the fossa ovalis