Lancisi's sign is a clinical sign in which a large venous wave, or Giant V wave, is visible in the jugular vein in patients with tricuspid regurgitation. It is caused by blood flowing backwards into the jugular vein through the incompetent tricuspid valve during ventricular systole. [1]
The sign is named after Giovanni Maria Lancisi. [2]
The superior vena cava (SVC) is the superior of the two venae cavae, the great venous trunks that return deoxygenated blood from the systemic circulation to the right atrium of the heart. It is a large-diameter (24 mm) short length vein that receives venous return from the upper half of the body, above the diaphragm. Venous return from the lower half, below the diaphragm, flows through the inferior vena cava. The SVC is located in the anterior right superior mediastinum. It is the typical site of central venous access via a central venous catheter or a peripherally inserted central catheter. Mentions of "the cava" without further specification usually refer to the SVC.
Kussmaul's sign is a paradoxical rise in jugular venous pressure (JVP) on inspiration, or a failure in the appropriate fall of the JVP with inspiration. It can be seen in some forms of heart disease and is usually indicative of limited right ventricular filling due to right heart dysfunction.
The jugular venous pressure is the indirectly observed pressure over the venous system via visualization of the internal jugular vein. It can be useful in the differentiation of different forms of heart and lung disease. Classically three upward deflections and two downward deflections have been described.
The jugular veins are veins that take deoxygenated blood from the head back to the heart via the superior vena cava.
Beck's triad is a collection of three medical signs associated with acute cardiac tamponade, a medical emergency when excessive fluid accumulates in the pericardial sac around the heart and impairs its ability to pump blood. The signs are low arterial blood pressure, distended neck veins, and distant, muffled heart sounds.
The atrium is the upper chamber through which blood enters the ventricles of the heart. There are two atria in the human heart – the left atrium receives blood from the pulmonary (lung) circulation, and the right atrium receives blood from the venae cavae. The atria receive blood while relaxed (diastole), then contract (systole) to move blood to the ventricles. All animals with a closed circulatory system have at least one atrium. Humans have two atria.
The internal jugular vein is a paired jugular vein that collects blood from the brain and the superficial parts of the face and neck. This vein runs in the carotid sheath with the common carotid artery and vagus nerve.
The external jugular vein receives the greater part of the blood from the exterior of the cranium and the deep parts of the face, being formed by the junction of the posterior division of the retromandibular vein with the posterior auricular vein.
The subclavian vein is a paired large vein, one on either side of the body, that is responsible for draining blood from the upper extremities, allowing this blood to return to the heart. The left subclavian vein plays a key role in the absorption of lipids, by allowing products that have been carried by lymph to enter the bloodstream, where it can enter the hepatic portal vein. The diameter of the subclavian veins is approximately 1–2 cm, depending on the individual.
The abdominojugular test, also known as abdominojugular reflux (AJR), is a physical examination test useful in diagnosing right ventricle dysfunction, particularly right ventricular failure.
The sigmoid sinuses, also known as the pars sigmoid, are venous sinuses within the skull that receive blood from posterior dural venous sinus veins.
The transverse sinuses, within the human head, are two areas beneath the brain which allow blood to drain from the back of the head. They run laterally in a groove along the interior surface of the occipital bone. They drain from the confluence of sinuses to the sigmoid sinuses, which ultimately connect to the internal jugular vein. See diagram : labeled under the brain as "SIN. TRANS.".
Tricuspid insufficiency (TI), more commonly called tricuspid regurgitation (TR), is a type of valvular heart disease in which the tricuspid valve of the heart, located between the right atrium and right ventricle, does not close completely when the right ventricle contracts (systole). TR allows the blood to flow backwards from the right ventricle to the right atrium, which increases the volume and pressure of the blood both in the right atrium and the right ventricle, which may increase central venous volume and pressure if the backward flow is sufficiently severe.
Just above the sternum the two anterior jugular veins communicate by a transverse trunk, the jugular venous arch, which receive tributaries from the inferior thyroid veins; each also communicates with the internal jugular.
The suboccipital venous plexus drains deoxygenated blood from the back of the head.
Giovanni Maria Lancisi was an Italian physician, epidemiologist and anatomist who made a correlation between the presence of mosquitoes and the prevalence of malaria. He was also known for his studies about cardiovascular diseases, and is remembered in the eponymous Lancisi's sign.
Carvallo's sign is a clinical sign found in patients with tricuspid regurgitation. The pansystolic murmur found in this condition becomes louder during inspiration; this sign enables it to be distinguished from mitral regurgitation.
Paolo Zamboni is an Italian doctor included among the Top Italian Scientists. He is full Professor and Director of the School of Vascular Surgery at the University of Ferrara in Italy.
The venous angle, also known as Pirogoff's angle and in Latin as angulus venosus, is the junction where the internal jugular and subclavian veins at each side of the neck merge to form the corresponding brachiocephalic vein. The left venous angle receives lymph from the thoracic duct. The right venous angle receives lymph from the right lymphatic trunk. The (right) lymphatic trunk is only about 1 cm long and conveys lymph from the right side of the thorax as well as the right arm and parts of the head and neck. The eponym is a reference to Nikolay Pirogov.
The venous plexus of hypoglossal canal (TA) – also known as plexus venosus canalis nervi hypoglossi (TA), circellus venosus hypoglossi and rete canalis hypoglossi – is a small venous plexus around the hypoglossal nerve that connects with the occipital sinus, the inferior petrosal sinus and the internal jugular vein. Occasionally, it may be a single vein rather than a venous plexus.