[Morphometric criteria and the problems of the surgical procedure in Ebstein's anomaly]

There is already a complete description available of the Ebstein's anomaly, and the criteria of its identification have also been thoroughly elaborated. An accurate quantitative assessment of anatomical changes determined morphometrically, however, would help to gain a better insight into the anatomofunctional features of the defect and would present an objective substantiation for selecting the surgery tactics. For this purpose 20 hearts with Ebstein's anomaly and 15 normal hearts were studied morphometrically. The measurements have shown that this anomaly is characterized by an enlargement of the right atrium, a dilated fibrous ring of the tricuspid valve, a lengthened inflow portion of the right ventricle at the expense of either sinuses or the atrial portion as well as by a sharp change in the cusps and the subcusp apparatus. Thus, in selecting surgical tactics and the extension of the surgery it is necessary to take into account the existing anatomical alterations and their severity.