keuhkovaltimaventtiilin

The keuhkovaltimaventtiili, also known as the pulmonary valve, is one of the four valves of the heart. It is located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. Its primary function is to ensure unidirectional blood flow, preventing the backflow of blood from the pulmonary artery into the right ventricle after the ventricle has contracted.

The pulmonary valve is a semilunar valve, meaning it has three cusps or leaflets. These cusps are crescent-shaped and are attached to the walls of the pulmonary artery. When the right ventricle relaxes, the pressure in the ventricle drops below that in the pulmonary artery, causing the cusps to coapt and close the valve, thus preventing regurgitation. During ventricular contraction, the increased pressure in the right ventricle forces the valve open, allowing oxygen-poor blood to be pumped into the pulmonary artery and subsequently to the lungs for oxygenation.

Diseases affecting the pulmonary valve can include stenosis, where the valve narrows and restricts blood flow, or regurgitation, where the valve does not close properly, allowing blood to leak backward into the right ventricle. These conditions can lead to various cardiac symptoms and may require medical intervention. Congenital abnormalities of the pulmonary valve are also relatively common.