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Morphometric study of the oval fossa in fetal and neonatal hearts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 August 2008

Luis Alvarez*
Affiliation:
From the Basic Cardiovascular Research Section, Department of Morphological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada
Antonia Aránega
Affiliation:
From the Basic Cardiovascular Research Section, Department of Morphological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada
Juan A. Marchal
Affiliation:
From the Basic Cardiovascular Research Section, Department of Morphological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada
María J. Hernández
Affiliation:
From the Basic Cardiovascular Research Section, Department of Morphological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada
Juan E. Fernández
Affiliation:
From the Basic Cardiovascular Research Section, Department of Morphological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada
Amanda R. González
Affiliation:
From the Basic Cardiovascular Research Section, Department of Morphological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada
*
Prof. Luis Alvarez, Sección de Investigatión Básics Cardiovascular, Departamento de Ciencias Morfológicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, Avda. de Madrid 11, E-18071 Granada, Spain. Tel. 34-58-243534; Fax. 34-58-243535.

Abstract

Microdissection of the oval fossa from its right and left atrial aspects showed that the rim of the fossa was formed from an infolding of the atrial wall, which began between the base of the superior caval vein and the insertion of the right pulmonary vein to the left atrium. Because the rim varied in shape from circular to oval, we used morphometric methods to obtain patterns of normality of the diameters of the oval fossa, oval foramen, and the area of right and left atrial aspects of the septum. These values were found to correlate with log fetal and neonatal weight. Due to technical advances in prenatal diagnosis, these structures can now be examined in fetal life. Therefore, our morphometric data, when appropriately interpreted, have immediate clinical and surgical applications in the treatment of fetal and neonatal cardiovascular disorders.

Type
Original Manuscripts
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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