Oh the heart… There so so much going on in there it can be difficult to keep things straight! I today I will focus more on the locations of the valves ie. the mitral valve, tricuspid valve, aortic valve, and the pulmonic or pulmonary valve.

In my cardio-pulmonary class we had to auscultate the heart valves during one of our practicals as well as know the locations of each valve for many of our written tests. I didn’t think remembering the location of each valve was particularly difficult but honestly how often does one need to remember such a thing?? Exactly! So what I have here is a little sentence to help you remember. Now the mnemonic isn’t particularly helpful with the specifics, just more of a guide on the order.

My Teacher Ate Pizza

The Mitral valve

Also known as the “bicuspid valve” contains two flaps. It allows the blood to flow from the left atrium into the left ventricle. It is on the left side of the heart and has two cusps.

The Tricuspid valve

The tricuspid valve is the three-flapped valve on the right side of the heart, between the right atrium and the right ventricle which stops the backflow of blood between the two. It has three cusps.

The Aortic valve

The aortic valve lies between the left ventricle and the aorta. The aortic valve has three cusps. During ventricular systole, pressure rises in the left ventricle. When the pressure in the left ventricle rises above the pressure in the aorta, the aortic valve opens, allowing blood to exit the left ventricle into the aorta. When ventricular systole ends, pressure in the left ventricle rapidly drops. When the pressure in the left ventricle decreases, the aortic pressure forces the aortic valve to close.

The Pulmonary valve

The pulmonary valve (sometimes referred to as the pulmonic valve) is the semilunar valve of the heart that lies between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery and has three cusps. Similar to the aortic valve, the pulmonary valve opens in ventricular systole, when the pressure in the right ventricle rises above the pressure in the pulmonary artery. At the end of ventricular systole, when the pressure in the right ventricle falls rapidly, the pressure in the pulmonary artery will close the pulmonary valve.

I hope one day soon no one will need to know this mnemonic thanks to advances in medicine. If Coke Zero can taste identical to original Coca Cola, then why can’t we cure cancer??? I am looking at you clever TV commercial writers and yes you too scientists.

Its been a long day so excuse my ramblings. Here is the cancer CAUTION acronym/mnemonic.

C – Change in bowel or bladder habits
A – A sore that does not heal
U – Unusual bleeding or discharge
T – Thickening or lump in the breast or any part of the body
I – Indigestion or difficulty swallowing
O – Obvious change in a wart or mole
N – Nagging cough or hoarseness

Following up to the prior mnemonic of the week we have, drum roll please…….. ok I am sure you already know based on the title of the post. Cranial Nerves!!!

Before I begin allow me to give those not familiar with the nerves a little background and maybe something educational all at the same time.

The cranial nerves are 12 pairs of nerves that can be seen on the ventral (bottom) surface of the brain. Some of these nerves bring information from the sense organs to the brain; other cranial nerves control muscles; other cranial nerves are connected to glands or internal organs such as the heart and lungs.

G: On Old Olympus Towering Top A Famous Vocal German Viewed Some Hops

R: Oh Oh Oh To Touch And Feel Virgn Girls Vagina So Happy

olfactory, optic, oculomotor, trochlear, trigeminal, abducens, facial, vestibulocochlear, glossopharyngeal, vagus, spinal accessory, hypoglossal.

Now there are a million different ones to choose from so don’t think that these are it. Google it and I am sure you will find another that will work better for you.

Below is a chart of the cranial nerves and their corresponding function.

Sources:

1. the nifty chart
2. oh good ol wikipedia
3. allnurses forum
4. washington.edu

In my never ending quest of finding random stuff online out of boredom I present to you the mnemonic that helped me learn the carpal bones in my gross anatomy class. I guess you could consider this PG-13 for its risqué implications. But fear not I will also provide you with a far more boring and G rated example as well.

Before I present this little gem let me give a big shout out to radswiki. Well aint that something… Looks like radswiki is not longer updated and they not direct you to radiopedia.org.

G: Sally Likes To Play The Tiny Chrome Harmonica

PG-13: Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can’t Handle

**For those of you cheapskates financially responsible (myself included) who buy older books online to save cash, you might see Navicular in place of Scaphoid. Don’t fear!! Now allow me to take you back to a time where the Scaphoid was once known as the Navicular. Don’t ask me why, but it was! I would assume the change in name had something to do with people confusing it with the bone in the foot? Just my guess!

Proximal: A=Scaphoid, B=Lunate, C=Triquetral, D=Pisiform
Distal: E=Trapezium, F=Trapezoid, G=Capitate, H=Hamate

*I have no idea why this image uses the ABC’s and not their corresponding letter.

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