ANATOMICAL FEATURES

Pulmonary artery is short in length and is a little wide—about 5 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter. It starts at the base of the right ventricle and after travelling for about 5 cm divides into right and left pulmonary arteries. These branches take deoxygenated blood to the lungs.

FUNCTION

Pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs where it passes through the capillaries of the lungs and gets oxygenated.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Pulmonary hypertension is the increase in blood pressure of pulmonary artery, greater than 25 mmHg. It can be due to heart failure, lung disease like COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) or pulmonary embolism (obstruction due to clotting or some other cause).

Pulmonary embolus may arise from a deep venous thrombosis (from lower extremity like legs) that travels upwards and lodges in the pulmonary arteries. This usually happens due to a long period of immobility.