Prepare for the Fetal Echocardiography Test. Utilize flashcards and multiple-choice questions that come with hints and explanations. Ace your exam preparation!

Multiple Choice

The atrial septal defect that involves the central region of the interatrial septum is called which?

A hole in the central part of the interatrial septum sits in the region of the fossa ovalis, and this is the ostium secundum defect. It arises when the septum primum resorbs too much or the septum secundum doesn’t grow enough in that central area, leaving a defect in the middle of the atrial septum. Ostium secundum is by far the most common ASD. In contrast, an ostium primum defect is located lower, near the AV valves; a sinus venosus defect occurs near where the vena cavae enter the right atrium (often at the superior vena cava region); and a coronary sinus defect involves the wall of the coronary sinus. So, the central interatrial septum defect is best described as ostium secundum.

A hole in the central part of the interatrial septum sits in the region of the fossa ovalis, and this is the ostium secundum defect. It arises when the septum primum resorbs too much or the septum secundum doesn’t grow enough in that central area, leaving a defect in the middle of the atrial septum. Ostium secundum is by far the most common ASD. In contrast, an ostium primum defect is located lower, near the AV valves; a sinus venosus defect occurs near where the vena cavae enter the right atrium (often at the superior vena cava region); and a coronary sinus defect involves the wall of the coronary sinus. So, the central interatrial septum defect is best described as ostium secundum.