The pulmonary arteries carry blood from the heart to the lungs. They are the only arteries (other than umbilical arteries in the fetus) that carry deoxygenated blood.
In the human heart, the pulmonary trunk begins at the base of the right ventricle. It is short and wide- approximately 2 inches (5 cm) in length and 1.2 inches (3 cm) in diameter. It then branches into two pulmonary arteries, which connect to the base of each lung.
Role in disease
Pulmonary hypertension occurs alone and as a consequence of a number of lung diseases. It can be a consequence of heart disease (Eisenmenger's syndrome) but equally a cause (right-ventricular heart failure); it also occurs as a consequence of pulmonary embolism and scleroderma. It is characterised by reduced exercise tolerance. Severe forms have a dismal prognosis.
Inferior and superior pulmonary veins and pulmonaryartery are separated, and lung is removed (B).
Arterial blood gases (ABG) test, which measures the amount of oxygen that the blood is able to carry to body tissues.
Pulmonary function tests (PFTs), which measure lung volume and the rate of air flow through the lungs; the results measure the progress of the lung disease.
Pulmonaryartery stenosis is a narrowing (stenosis) that occurs in the pulmonaryartery, a large artery that sends oxygen-poor blood into the lungs to be enriched with oxygen.
Pulmonaryartery stenosis is a congenital heart defect, meaning it is a defect that is inborn or exists at birth.
If your child is diagnosed with pulmonaryartery stenosis, your pediatrician or primary care doctor will recommend that you meet with a congenital heart specialist (a doctor who has the training and equipment to determine your childs heart problem and order the necessary special tests, medical care, heart surgery, and follow-up checkups).
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