truncus arteriosus


truncus

 [trung´kus] (L.) trunk.truncus arterio´sus an artery connected with the fetal heart, developing into the aortic and pulmonary arches.truncus brachiocepha´licus a vessel arising from the aortic arch and giving origin to the right common carotid and right subclavian arteries. Called also innominate artery (see anatomic Table of Arteries in the Appendices).truncus celi´acus celiac trunk.truncus encepha´licus brainstem.truncus pulmona´lis pulmonary trunk.

trun·cus ar·te·ri·o·'sus

the common arterial trunk opening out of both ventricles in the embryo, later destined to be divided into aorta and pulmonary artery by development of the spiral aorticopulmonary septum.

truncus arteriosus

Cardiology A congenital heart defect characterized by a single arterial trunk arising in the ventricle, which supplies the pulmonary, coronary, and systemic circulation; a large VSD always accompanies TAs, essentially converting the right and left ventricles into a single chamber; blood flows at a higher pressure through the arteries–the pressure in the pulmonary circulation is normally low; systemic pressure in the pulmonary circulation ↑ blood flow through the lungs, ↑ cardiac load, heart failure; ↑ pulmonary pressure eventually damages the pulmonary vessels, causing ↑ pulmonary resistance, ergo ↓ pulmonary blood flow and cyanosis Clinical SOB, fatigue, heart failure, poor growth, physical development and, untreated, death at a young age. See Cyanotic heart disease.