Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Anatomy of the Heart

Anatomy of the Heart

The heart is a hollow, muscular organ approximately the size of a fist, consisting of four chambers. It is enclosed in the pericardium, a fibrous sac with two layers: the visceral and parietal pericardium, separated by a fluid-filled space containing serous fluid to reduce friction.
The heart has three layers: the innermost endocardium, the muscular myocardium, and the outer epicardium, all working together for optimal cardiac function.
Chambers of the Heart
The heart is made up of four...

Anatomy of the Heart

Anatomy of the Heart

The human heart is made up of three layers of tissue that are surrounded by the pericardium, a membrane that protects and confines the heart. The outermost layer, closest to the pericardium, is the epicardium. The pericardial cavity separates the pericardium from the epicardium. Beneath the epicardium is the myocardium, the middle layer, and the endocardium, the innermost layer. There are four chambers of the heart: the right atrium, the right ventricle, the left atrium, and the left ventricle.

Layers of the Heart Wall

Layers of the Heart Wall

The heart wall comprises three distinct layers: the epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium. The outermost layer, the epicardium, is the visceral layer of the serous pericardium, featuring a thin, transparent mesothelial surface and an inner layer of areolar connective tissue with fat deposits that increase with age.
The myocardium, the thickest layer, consists of cardiac muscle cells interconnected by intercalated discs and crisscrossing connective tissue fibers. These muscle fibers contract...

Location and Orientation of the Heart

Location and Orientation of the Heart

The human heart, despite its modest size and weight, is an organ of remarkable strength and endurance. Roughly the size of a fist, the heart weighs between 250 and 350 grams and is nestled within the mediastinum, the medial cavity of the thorax. It extends obliquely for about 12 to 14 cm, resting on the superior surface of the diaphragm. The heart is positioned anterior to the vertebral column and posterior to the sternum, with two-thirds of its mass lying to the left of the midsternal line.

Development of the Heart

Development of the Heart

The development of the human heart, a crucial organ, commences from the mesoderm on the 18th or 19th day after fertilization. This process initiates in the cardiogenic area, a group of mesodermal cells at the embryo's head end, which evolves into elongated strands known as cardiogenic cords. These cords undergo a transformation to form hollow-centered endocardial tubes.
As the embryo undergoes lateral folding, these paired tubes approach each other, merging into a single primitive heart tube by...

Overview of the Heart

Overview of the Heart

The heart, a muscular organ located in the chest, functions as the body's pump, circulating blood through the vascular system. It has four chambers: two atria on top and two ventricles below. The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body and passes it to the right ventricle, which pumps it to the lungs for oxygenation. The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and transfers it to the left ventricle, which pumps it to the rest of the body.
The heart's structure...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Natufian sickle blades (ca. 15,000-11,700 cal. BP) reveal cereal cultivation ca. 4.5 millennia before domestication.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Modeling identities among the first-sedentary communities: Emergence of clay personal ornaments in Epipaleolithic Southwest Asia.

Science advances·2026

Same author

Isolation and Analysis of Matched Osteoarthritic Cartilage Progenitor Cells and Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Cureus·2025

Same author

An analysis of controlled human infection studies registered on ClinicalTrials.gov.

BMJ open·2025

Same author

Automated electrochemical oxygen sensing using a 3D-printed microfluidic lab-on-a-chip system.

Lab on a chip·2025

Same author

Clinical management of patients with colorectal intramucosal carcinoma compared to high-grade dysplasia and T1 colorectal cancer.

Gastrointestinal endoscopy·2024

Same journal

What the Salary Rankings Miss About Pediatric Surgery: Readiness, Not Compensation.

The American surgeon·2026

Same journal

Contrast Without Clarity: The Questionable Role of Oral Contrast in Detecting Missed Hollow Viscus Injury.

The American surgeon·2026

Same journal

Learning Surgery's Moral Questions: Mentorship, Reflection, and Professional Formation.

The American surgeon·2026

Same journal

Complete Response of Merkel Cell Carcinoma to Immunotherapy and Single-Fraction Radiotherapy Following Severe COVID-19 Infection: A Case Report and Review of Immune Mechanism.

The American surgeon·2026

Same journal

Perioperative Acute Myocardial Infarction in Non-Cardiac Operations: A National Analysis.

The American surgeon·2026

Same journal

Outcomes of Completion Cholecystectomy: Association With Patient Comorbidity in a National Database.

The American surgeon·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Visualizing the Beating Heart in Drosophila

Visualizing the Beating Heart in Drosophila

Published on: September 28, 2009

A knot in the heart.

Hesham Ahmed¹, Daniel Kaufman, Michael E Zenilman

¹Department of Trauma Surgery and Critical Care, Kings County Hospital Center, State University of New York-Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA. hesham.ahmed@downstate.edu

The American Surgeon

|April 2, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Swan-Ganz catheter knotting is a rare but serious complication. This case highlights prevention through careful monitoring of inserted catheter length against waveform changes, crucial for patient safety.

More Related Videos

A Murine Model of Myocardial Ischemia-reperfusion Injury through Ligation of the Left Anterior Descending Artery

A Murine Model of Myocardial Ischemia-reperfusion Injury through Ligation of the Left Anterior Descending Artery

Published on: April 10, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Visualizing the Beating Heart in Drosophila

Visualizing the Beating Heart in Drosophila

Published on: September 28, 2009

A Murine Model of Myocardial Ischemia-reperfusion Injury through Ligation of the Left Anterior Descending Artery

A Murine Model of Myocardial Ischemia-reperfusion Injury through Ligation of the Left Anterior Descending Artery

Published on: April 10, 2014

Area of Science:

Cardiology
Medical Devices
Interventional Radiology

Background:

The pulmonary artery catheter (PAC), or Swan-Ganz catheter, has been a subject of debate since its inception.
Catheter placement is associated with numerous complications, including knotting, which can have severe consequences.

Observation:

This report details a rare instance of Swan-Ganz catheter knotting.
The knotting occurred due to the excessive insertion of the catheter into the heart.

Findings:

Swan-Ganz catheter knotting is a rare complication.
Interventional radiological techniques can successfully manage catheter knotting.
Prevention is possible by correlating the inserted PAC length with waveform changes.

Implications:

Adherence to insertion guidelines can prevent catastrophic complications.
Interventional radiology offers effective solutions for managing catheter-related issues.
Improved understanding of PAC mechanics enhances patient safety and procedural outcomes.