left ventricle (anatomy)

Last reviewed 01/2018

The left ventricle of the heart is the most muscular of any of the heart chambers; typically, the thickness of the wall is three times that of the right ventricle - an average of 10mm in the adult. It is approximately conical in shape. It extends slightly inferiorly, anteriorly and to the left from its base to the apex. The chamber is longer and narrower than its right-sided equivalent.

The left ventricle is considered in the submenu in terms of:

• external relations of the chamber
• external surface features
• internal features