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Morphometric study of the great arterial trunks and their branches in the human fetal heart with perimembranous ventricular septal defects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 August 2008

Luis Alvarez*
Affiliation:
From the Department of Morphological Sciences, Basic Cardiovascular Research Section, School of Medicine, University of Granada, E-18012 Granada, Spain.
Antonia Aránega
Affiliation:
From the Department of Morphological Sciences, Basic Cardiovascular Research Section, School of Medicine, University of Granada, E-18012 Granada, Spain.
Celia Vélez
Affiliation:
From the Department of Morphological Sciences, Basic Cardiovascular Research Section, School of Medicine, University of Granada, E-18012 Granada, Spain.
Consolación Melguizo
Affiliation:
From the Department of Morphological Sciences, Basic Cardiovascular Research Section, School of Medicine, University of Granada, E-18012 Granada, Spain.
Amanda R. González
Affiliation:
From the Department of Morphological Sciences, Basic Cardiovascular Research Section, School of Medicine, University of Granada, E-18012 Granada, Spain.
Robert Saucedo
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Granada, E-18012 Granada, Spain.
*
Prof. Luis Alvarez, Departamento de Ciencias Morfológicas, Sección de Investigación Básica Cardiovascular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, Avda. De Madrid 11, E-18071 Granada, Spain. Tel. + 34-58-243534; Fax. +34-58-243535

Abstract

Morphometric methods were used to study the great arterial trunks in a total of 22 human fetuses and newborn subjects weighing from 1 to 3.8 kg (mean 2.22 ± 0.85 kg). All specimens displayed concordant atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial connections, and all had perimembranous ventricular septal defects. Thirteen different parameters were measured in each specimen, comprising the orifices of the great arterial trunks, ascending aorta, vessels branching from the aortic arch, the aortic isthmus, descending aorta, pulmonary trunk, orifices of the pulmonary arteries, and arterial duct. The values were Compared with patterns of normality established in an earlier study using hearts from 496 human fetuses and neonates weighing form 60 to 5000 g. Minimum square regression analyses were used to study the relationships between fetal and neonatal log body weight in kilograms, and the various cardiometric parameters. We believe that these morphometric data have immediate clinical and surgical applications in the treatment of fetal and neonatal cardiovascular disorders.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

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