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[Cardiac vessels of human fetuses and newborn infants]
Insights
Human fetal heart anatomy reveals developed coronary arteries and veins by 10 lunar months. The right coronary artery pattern is most common for cardiac blood supply, with significant venous variability noted.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Anatomy
- Developmental Biology
- Human Embryology
Context:
- Detailed anatomical study of human fetal heart vasculature.
- Utilized contrast mass injections and histotopography for visualization.
- Examined specimens from 3 to 10 lunar months and newborns.
Purpose:
- To describe the formation and topography of cardiac arteries and veins during prenatal development.
- To determine the predominant type of cardiac blood supply (right, left, or balanced coronary artery dominance).
- To characterize the variability of the cardiac venous system.
Summary:
- All major coronary artery and cardiac vein branches are formed by the 10th lunar month of gestation.
- The right coronary artery dominance is the most prevalent pattern (58-60%) in fetal and newborn hearts.
- Significant variability exists in the cardiac venous system, featuring extensive anastomoses and highlighting the cardiac middle vein's role.
Impact:
- Provides foundational data on prenatal cardiac vascular development.
- Informs understanding of congenital heart variations and blood supply patterns.
- Contributes to the anatomical knowledge base for cardiovascular research and clinical practice.
Abstract:
The anatomy of the cardiac arteries has been studied in 78 and that of the veins--in 74 total preparations of human fetal hearts 3--10-lunar month-old and in newborns. The cardiac vessels are injected with contrast masses, erythrocytes are stained with benzidine, histotopograms are made. In the fetuses all branches of the 1st-3d order of the coronary arteries and cardiac veins have been formed. Topography and main dimentions of large cardiac vessels are defined. During the prenatal period ramification zones of the coronary arteries do not change. In different age groups of the fetuses and newborns right coronary type of the cardiac blood supply predominates considerably (58-60%), in 27-32%--equal, and in 8-13%--left coronary type is observed. A great variability of the venous cardiac bed, vast intervenous anastomoses and a special importance of the cardiac middle vein in blood outflow are noted.