Multiple cardiac anomaly in sheep: a case study and review of the literature

A multiple cardiac anomaly in sheep is presented to show how complicated the result of abnormal development can be. The heart of a 12-hour-old sheep was fixed in 8% formaldehyde solution and subsequently dissected by an anatomical method, and the abnormalities were recorded on digital pictures. The abnormal anatomy is described and compared with the simple developmental anomalies. Developmental abnormalities were found in the distal portion of the bulbus, the aortic arches and the interatrial septum. A special type of the double-outlet right ventricle was observed, which was not a real double-outlet ventricle because it occurred in combination with pulmonary atresia. Coarctation of the aorta was seen, the ductus arteriosus was absent, and there were five vessels originating from the aortic arch instead of one vessel seen in normal cases, as a result of the abnormal development of the aortic arches.