Superficial anastomoses of blood vessels in the human heart.

We investigated superficial interarterial, intra-arterial, arterio-venous and veno-venous anastomoses in 100 hearts from men and women taken at random who died at 20-85 years of age. By means of careful dissection and injection into the blood vessels of a differently stained 12% solution of vinilit in acetone, we studied the number and localization of the anastomoses and their appearance. Interarterial anastomoses, i.e. anastomoses between the ramification of the left and the right coronary artery, were detected in 33 hearts. Intra-arterial anastomoses, i.e. anastomoses between the ramifications of one and the same artery, were seen in 5 hearts. Arterio-venous anastomoses were found in 39 hearts. Veno-venous anostomoses were found in 49 hearts. The veno-venous anastomoses display a great many variations, being commonly the regular finding in human veins.     

MRI of the heart, mediastinum and great vessels

MRI permits to study the anatomical structures of the heart and great vessels without cardiac catheterization or contrast injections. It aims to differentiate trachea and bronchia from the mediastinal lymph nodes. In mediastinal tumours, MRI supplies essential information for the planning of therapy. Only in the area of the structures adjacent to the diaphragm, an improvement of the images by means of additional respiratory gating is desirable.     

Evolution of blood vessels of the heart wall

In progressive development of the organisms, the cardio-vascular system perfects, its construction is adequate to the level and character of the animal's metabolism. The hypobranchial arteries, forming in the subbranchial area in fishes, make the immediate source for the branching off the coronary arteries. Comparison of the data concerning the places where the cranial coronary arteries take their origin in amphibia, reptiles, birds and mammalia demonstrates that the evolutional process is directed towards transference of the places of their branching off on the ventral aorta, and then on the nearest distance to the heart. Certain data are obtained on evolution of the blood circulation pathways in the myocardium and, particularly, on presence of blood vessels in the spongy myocardium in Elasmobranchii, Chondrosteoideii, as well as in the alligator. The most important of the myocardial blood vessels at all stages of evolution is their connection with the cardiac chambers. At definite stages of phylogenesis, simultaneously with compactization of the myocardium and formation of veins from the intertrabecular spaces, the subepicardial and intramural veins unite into a single venous system, bringing blood to the cardiac cavity. In birds, mammalia and human being, the coronary vessels have reached a high degree of development, having penetrated by their branches into all layers of the cardiac wall, and thus they exclude the dependence of the myocardial blood supply from the blood that is present in the cardiac cavity.     

Development of the paravascular bed of the vessels of the human heart during the prenatal period of ontogenesis

The paravascular bed of the cardiac vessels has been studied in 128 human fetuses at the age of 3-9 lunar months. Anatomical and histological techniques have been used, morphometrical analysis has been carried out. The paravascular bed of the cardiac wall vessels begins to form from the vascular epicardial network and from the paraneural vessels in 5-month-old fetuses. The paravasal longitudinal tracts are the first to form (the venous ones preceed the arterial). During the seventh month the nutritive vessels and the intramural networks of the main cardiac arteries and veins develop. The formation of the paraarterial bed is connected with the vascular diameter and with thickness of the arterial walls. Certain regularities in development of the venous paravascular bed are defined. By the beginning of the 8th month there are all main components of the paravascular bed of the cardiac vessels.     

Individual and age-related differences in the anatomy of the main deferent lymphatic vessels of the human heart and their applied significance

One hundred human hearts of various age have been investigated. Structure, size of their main deferent lymphatic vessels are defined by the organ's form, sex and age of the persons. According to the position signs, extreme forms of their topography have been revealed. In the left--the course in the adventitia of the anterior wall of the pulmonary trunk and of the ascending aorta. In the left--the course in the adventitia of the right lateral wall of the ascending aorta and of the pulmonary trunk. The number of the extraorganic vessels, that bring lymph out of the heart, is from 1 up to 3. The anastomoses made between certain parts of the lymph nodes and the extraorganic lymphatic vessels in the transplanted and removed hearts are more economic.