From the Research
The statements are true, as the ligamentum teres hepatis is indeed connected to the umbilical vein, the ligamentum venosum is connected to the ductus venosus, and the fossa ovalis is connected to the foramen ovale, as supported by the most recent and highest quality study available 1. The ligamentum teres hepatis is the remnant of the fetal umbilical vein, which carries oxygenated blood from the placenta to the fetus. After birth, when placental circulation ceases, the umbilical vein obliterates and becomes a fibrous cord called the ligamentum teres hepatis, located in the free edge of the falciform ligament. Some key points to consider:
- The ligamentum teres hepatis is connected to the umbilical vein, as shown in a study from 2, which investigated the significance of the umbilical and paraumbilical veins in ligamentum teres as collaterals in portal hypertension.
- The ligamentum venosum is the remnant of the ductus venosus, which in fetal life shunts blood from the umbilical vein directly to the inferior vena cava, bypassing the liver.
- The fossa ovalis in the interatrial septum of the adult heart is the remnant of the foramen ovale, which during fetal life allows blood to flow directly from the right atrium to the left atrium, bypassing the non-functioning fetal lungs. These structures represent important anatomical changes that occur during the transition from fetal to postnatal circulation, and are supported by the most recent and highest quality study available 1.