truncus arteriosus

truncus /trun·cus/ (-kus) pl. trun´ci   [L.] trunk.

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truncus arterio´sus  an arterial trunk, especially the artery connected with the embryonic heart, which gives off the aortic arches and develops into the aortic and pulmonary arteries.

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truncus arteriosus

Etymology: L, trunk; Gk, arteria, airpipe

the embryonic arterial trunk that initially opens from both ventricles of the heart and later divides into the aorta and the pulmonary trunk, the two parts separated by the bulbar septum.

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truncus

pl. trunci [L.] trunk; individual trunci are listed as trunks in Table 9 (arteries) and Table 14 (nerves).

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truncus arteriosus

an artery connected with the fetal heart, developing into the aortic and pulmonary arches. The trunk may persist into extrauterine life. The single arterial trunk from the heart supplies blood to both aortic and pulmonary circuits.

truncus brachiocephalicus

a vessel arising from the arch of the aorta and giving origin to one or both of the common carotid and one or both right subclavian arteries.

truncus celiacus

celiac trunk.

truncus pulmonalis

pulmonary trunk.

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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.