Right Ventricle.

The right ventricle, one of the four heart chambers, is the lower chamber of the right side of the heart. Read about its structure and function.

Function of Right Ventricle.

The right ventricle of the heart receives deoxygenated blood from the right atrium through the right atrioventricular opening which is guarded by tricuspid valve. Once it is full of blood pushed in from the right atrium, the right ventricle then contracts and pumps the blood into the pulmonary artery through the pulmonary valves and the pulmonary trunk to the lungs for oxygenation.

The tricuspid valve is a one way valve which allows the blood to flow from the right atrium to the right ventricle. This valve closes when the right ventricle contracts thereby allowing the blood to flow into the pulmonary artery and not to the right atrium.

Picture of right ventricle.

Pumping Pressure of Right Ventricle.

The pressure in the pulmonary artery is only 26/10 mm of Hg (systolic and diastolic pressures) against the pressure of 120/80 in the aorta. This shows that the right ventricle has to pump blood against a far lesser diastolic pressure than the left ventricle.

Walls of the Right Ventricle.

The walls of the right ventricle are therefore less muscular and thicker than those of the left ventricle. The thickness of the wall of the right ventricle in an adult is 4 to 5 mm, as against 8 to 15 mm of the left ventricle. The right ventricular wall is thickest at the base and thins out towards the apex.

Blood Supply of the Right Ventricle.

The right ventricle derives its blood supply from the right coronary artery.

Parts of the Right Ventricle.

• The upper part of the right ventricle forms a conical pouch which gives rise to the pulmonary trunk. This is called the conus arteriosus or the infundibulum.
• A tendinous band connects the posterior surface of the conus to the aorta. It is called the tendon of conus arteriosus.
• The right atrioventricular opening is guarded by the tricuspid valve, which is attached by cord like structures called chordae tendinea to the inner wall surface of the right ventricle by papillary muscle.
• The opening to the pulmonary trunk is guarded by the one-way pulmonary valve which has semi lunar shaped cusps like those of the aortic valve. Hence both these valves are called semi lunar valves.
• The cavity of the right ventricle has the same capacity as that of the left ventricle and holds up to 85 ml of blood at a time in an adult.

Surfaces of the Right Ventricle.

• The anterosuperior surface of the right ventricle is rounded and convex and forms major portion of the sternocoastal surface of the heart.
• The diaphragmatic surface of the heart is formed by the flattened under surface of the right ventricle.
• The interventricular septum, which forms the posterior wall of the right ventricle,  has a convexity which bulges into the right ventricle giving its cavity a semilunar hollow.

Inferior wall infarct, which is quite common, involves the wall of the right ventricle.

Related posts:

1. Left Ventricle of the Heart.
2. What Does Heart Do|Function of Heart.
3. Coronary Arteries|Arteries of the Heart.
4. Left Heart.
5. Right Heart.
6. Heart Chambers.
7. Blood Flow in the Heart.
8. Parts of the Heart.