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Myocardial ventricular mass related to coronary artery distribution in human hearts
1Department of Pathology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Insights
The human coronary artery anatomy ensures both ventricles receive blood supply, acting as a buffer for mass distribution. This study analyzed right ventricle/left ventricle mass ratios and right coronary artery blood supply in 120 human hearts.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Anatomy
- Cardiac Physiology
- Pathology
Background:
- The distribution of blood supply from coronary arteries to the ventricles is crucial for cardiac function.
- Understanding ventricular mass ratios and coronary perfusion is important, especially in conditions like hypertrophy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To correlate the right ventricle/left ventricle free walls mass ratio with the ventricular mass fraction supplied by the right coronary artery.
- To investigate how coronary artery anatomy influences ventricular mass distribution in normal and hypertrophied human hearts.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 120 autopsy-collected human hearts.
- Injected differently colored gels into coronary artery capillary beds to separate and weigh ventricular myocardium.
- Calculated "Right Ventricle/Left Ventricle" free walls mass ratio and "Right Coronary/Ventricular Weight" mass ratios.
Main Results:
- In hearts without hypertrophy, the mean "Right Ventricle/Left Ventricle" mass ratio was 0.54 (males) and 0.62 (females), with "Right Coronary/Ventricular Weight" ratios of 0.39 for both.
- In hypertrophied hearts, ratios varied: "Left Ventricle Hypertrophy" (0.37/0.36), "Without Hypertrophy" (0.56/0.38), "Biventricular Hypertrophy" (0.54/0.39), "Right Ventricle Hypertrophy" (0.89/0.49).
- The "Right Coronary/Ventricular Weight" ratio showed narrower means and variances compared to the "Right Ventricle/Left Ventricle" mass ratio, attributed to the dual coronary supply irrigating both ventricles.
Conclusions:
- The typical human coronary artery anatomy provides a buffer for ventricular mass distribution, ensuring irrigation by both arteries even in hypertrophy.
- The coronary artery's dual irrigation pattern contributes to more stable ventricular mass ratios compared to the direct ventricular mass ratio.
Abstract:
This prospective study of 120 autopsy collected human hearts correlates the "Right Ventricle/Left Ventricle" free walls mass ratio and the ventricular mass fraction supplied by the right coronary ("Right Coronary/Ventricular Weight"). Different coloured gel injected through both coronary artery's capillary beds allowed ventricular myocardium separation to obtain the weights. In hearts without hypertrophy, mean +/- standard deviation of the "Right Ventricle/Left Ventricle" mass ratio was 0.54 +/- 0.09 for males and 0.62 +/- 0.23 for females; "Right Coronary/Ventricular Weight" mass ratios were 0.39 +/- 0.08 and 0.39 +/- 0.04, respectively. Mean +/- standard deviation of the "Right Ventricle/Left Ventricle" and "Right Coronary/Ventricular Weight" ratios were 0.37 +/- 0.05 and 0.36 +/- 0.10, respectively in hearts with "Left Ventricle Hypertrophy"; 0.56 +/- 0.07 and 0.38 +/- 0.11 in hearts "Without Hypertrophy"; 0.54 +/- 0.08 and 0.39 +/- 0.08 in hearts with "Biventricular Hypertrophy"; 0.89 +/- 0.16 and 0.49 +/- 0.06 in hearts with "Right Ventricle Hypertrophy". Means and variances are narrower for the "Right Coronary/Ventricular Weight" than that observed for the "Right Ventricle/Left Ventricle" mass ratio. It is due to the special double coronary arrangement in which every artery irrigates both ventricles. These results suggest that the usual pattern of the human coronary arteries' anatomy acts as a buffer for the ventricular mass distribution to be irrigated by both arteries in hypertrophy.