[Trabeculae and intertrabecular spaces of the heart interventricular septum: anatomical structure and development]

The review presents traditional and new concepts on the development of the trabeculae carneae and intertrabecular spaces (ITS) in the heart ventricles. Myocardial trabeculation preceeds the ventricular septation and at the same time underlies the formation of the interventricular septum. Trabeculae carneae seem to generate the contractile force of the embryonic myocardium. The differences between right and left ventricular trabecular patterns are conditioned by the changes of intracardiac blood flow during the prenatal period. Anatomical characteristics of the right inlet and outlet relief are reviewed. Special emphasis is given to the correlations of the terms "septomarginal trabeculation" and "moderator band". It is noticed that ITS anatomy is still insufficiently studied. The necessity to develop the anatomical criteria of normal intracardiac structures is accentuated.