[Changes in the myocardium and coronary vessels during the postoperative period in aged and elderly patients]

Data of morphological examinations of 65 hearts of patients dying at the ages of 45 to 89 years in the early postoperation period after cavity operations are presented. Apart from routine histological and histochemical examinations, morphofunctional analysis of the intraorgan vascular architectonics was done using a macro-microroentgen contrast examination of the heart and determinations of volumetric density and location of focal lesions of the myocardium by the histostereometric method. An analysis of the pattern and distribution of myocardial lesions as well as of the elements of structural-functional adaptation and dysadaptation of the heart of senile patients under extreme conditions of operational trauma and early postoperation period is presented. A direct correlation was established between the volumetric density of focal myocardial lesions, the age of the patients and the duration of the stress situation (operational intervention).