title: Closed foramen ovale: a potential entrance to left atrium.
abstract: The anatomy of the limbus and its relationship to the fossa ovalis were studied in 90 normal human hearts in an attempt to explain the clinical success of blunt trans-septal catheterization. Previously reported rates of patent foramen ovale (25-35% of adult specimens) were confirmed, well below the reported rate of success for blunt trans-septal catheterization (67-87%). A possible reason for this success is the fragile attachment of the fossa ovalis to its limbus in nearly all hearts without persistent patency.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant