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PrISM Cardiovascular

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The chamber in orange is the left atrium, the most posterior chamber of the heart. The chamber in aqua is the right atrium, the most right-ward chamber of the heart. The metallic objects are in the region where these two chambers overlap, and are a type of intravascular device used to close off abnormal openings in vessels or in the heart. Their position suggests that they might have been used to close an atrial septal defect, or failure of the complex development of the wall between the right and left atria. Since it is vital throughout intrauterine life for there to be an opening between these two chambers, and it is also important for that opening to close shortly after birth, it is not surprising that a failure of this closure is a very common congenital cardiac problem. The symptoms will depend on how much blood is still flowing through the opening after birth. If it is a small amount, the patient may be asymptomatic.

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