The internal mammary artery (IMA), also called the internal thoracic artery, is a blood vessel that runs down the inside of the chest wall on each side of the sternum (breastbone). There are two: the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) and the right internal mammary artery (RIMA). These arteries are highly valued as bypass grafts … Read more
The inferior vena cava (IVC) is the largest vein in the human body. It collects deoxygenated blood returning from the lower half of the body (below the diaphragm), including the legs, abdomen, and pelvic organs, and carries it to the right atrium of the heart. The IVC is formed by the joining of the two … Read more
An innocent murmur (also called a functional or physiological murmur) is a heart murmur that is not caused by any structural heart disease or defect. Murmurs are sounds produced by turbulent blood flow through the heart or blood vessels; in an innocent murmur, this turbulence arises simply from the normal flow of blood and carries … Read more