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Anatomical Reconstructions of the Human Cardiac Venous System using Contrast-computed Tomography of Perfusion-fixed Specimens
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Cardiac Structural Changes and Long-Term Survival in Patients With Prominent Thebesian Veins

David Snipelisky1, Yogesh N V Reddy1, Ryan J Lennon2

  • 1Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.

The American Journal of Cardiology
|September 12, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Prominent Thebesian veins, though rare, did not significantly increase mortality or affect cardiac structure in this study. However, they were associated with decreased mitral inflow velocities, suggesting altered diastolic function.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Anatomy
  • Cardiac Physiology

Background:

  • Thebesian veins are small, numerous venous channels within the cardiac chambers.
  • Previous case reports suggest Thebesian veins may increase morbidity and mortality.
  • No studies have comprehensively assessed their impact on cardiac structure or long-term outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effects of prominent Thebesian veins on cardiac structure.
  • To assess the long-term patient outcomes in individuals with Thebesian veins.
  • To compare clinical and echocardiographic measures between patients with and without Thebesian veins.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study design was employed.
  • Patients undergoing coronary angiography between October 2002 and January 2015 were assessed for prominent Thebesian veins.
  • A matched control group was established, comparing 31 patients with Thebesian veins to 596 controls based on demographics, angiogram details, and coronary disease extent.

Main Results:

  • Patients with Thebesian veins exhibited lower Doppler E wave (0.7 vs 0.8; p=0.007) and A wave (0.6 vs 0.8; p=0.001) mitral inflow velocities.
  • No significant differences were observed in left ventricular size or ejection fraction between groups.
  • The presence of Thebesian veins was not associated with significantly increased mortality (hazard ratio 1.11, 95% CI 0.58 to 2.13).

Conclusions:

  • Prominent Thebesian veins do not appear to cause significant adverse cardiac structural changes or increase mortality.
  • A decrease in mitral inflow velocities was noted in patients with Thebesian veins, suggesting potential effects on diastolic function.
  • Further research may be warranted to fully elucidate the clinical significance of Thebesian veins.

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