[Coronary arteries in the Macaca fascicularis monkey]. / Koronarne arterije majmuna Macacus fascicularis.

The coronary arterial epicardial network in the monkey Macaca fascicularis was studied. The study concerned 11 hearts of healthy and fertile animals of both sexes. The morphological and morphometric results of the studies performed by microdissection revealed that: In all examined cases of the Macaca fascicularis the heart was supplied by blood through the left and right coronary arteries. The left coronary artery had a larger external diameter (1.2 mm-2.5 mm, average 1.8 mm) than the right one (0.7 mm-1.2 mm, average 0.9 mm). The left coronary artery, with the average length of 4.3 mm (1.8 mm-6.5 mm), usually (82%) ended by bifurcation in to the anterior interventricular and the circumflex branch, and less frequently (18%) by trifurcation forming, in this way, another branch: the left marginal branch. The anterior interventricular branch had the larger external diameter (0.9 mm-1.7 mm, average 1.3 mm) than the circumflex one (0.7 mm-1.7 mm, average 1.1 mm). Most frequently (73%) it could be traced along the diaphragmatic cardiac surface. The circumflex branch usually (73%) terminated as the posterior interventricular branch, and less frequently (9%) as one of the right posterior ventricular branches. The long type of the right coronary artery was observed in 45% of the cases. The presence of the myocardial bridges over the branches of the left coronary artery was found in 54% of the examined hearts. The great resemblance between the Macaca fascicularis subepicardial network with the corresponding one in humans suggest that Macacus fascicularis is a suitable experimental animal for functional studies of the cardiovascular system.

[Important variations in the position of the ulnar nerve]. / Neke znacajne varijacije polozaja lakatnog zivca (n. ulnaris)]

The knowledge of the topographical relationship of some body structures was one of our aims in the study of the position and topography of the ulnar nerve in the lower third of the upper arm and the elbow region. The elbow region, because of its close relation to the ulnar nerve, especially the relation to the medial epicondyle of the humerus and the nerve, may explain some injuries of the nerve trunk. In this region the anterior dislocation of the ulnar nerve may occur, as well. We studied 60 specimens of the foetuses, newborn infants and adult persons of both sexes, by using macro and micro dissection. Almost in all cases (96.7%) the ulnar nerve passed from the upper arm to the forearm through the bony-fibrous opening ("the elbow tunnel") on the posterior side of the elbow. The anterior wall of the tunnel was sulcus n. ulnaris, while its posterior-medial wall was a strong, fibrous arch-shaped band that connected olecranon and the tip of the medial epicondyle. In the majority of cases (75%) this fibrous arc was thick and strong, high, and did not reach the top of the medial epicondyle. Thus it prevented the anterior dislocation of the ulnar nerve in the elbow flexion. Rarely (21.7%) this fibrous are was situated lower, even 15 mm below the medial epicondyle top. This disposition could favour the anterior dislocation of the ulnar nerve. Only rarely (3.3%) the ulnar nerve passed in front of the medial epicondyle.

Early experience with esophageal pill electrode atrial pacing in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease--a trend toward improved specificity compared to treadmill exercise.

Esophageal pill electrode pacing, treadmill exercise and coronary angiography were performed in 23 patients with chest pain. Atrial pacing produced fewer false positive studies resulting in higher specificity compared to treadmill exercise. Some possible explanations of the improved specificity are the better quality tracings obtained with atrial pacing and the increased control of the heart rate and blood pressure response during atrial pacing as opposed to treadmill exercise. This preliminary study suggests that esophageal pill electrode atrial pacing tachycardia studies may be a reasonable alternative to treadmill exercise testing in the noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease.

Size and position of the human adhaesio interthalamica.

In 50 human brains, we investigated the size of the adhaesio interthalamica, length of CA-CP line, position of the centre of adhaesio interthalamica, and the distance between the corpus callosum and adhaesio interthalamica. Interthalamic adhesion was absent in 11 brains (22%) and was duplicated in 1 brain. In all 50 brains, length of the intercommissural line (CA-CP) had a mean value of 2.56 cm, in brains with the interthalamic adhesion 2.48 cm, and 2.56 cm in brains without it. t-test for this difference showed no significant result for a probability of 0.05 (t = 1.95). Midsagittal section area of adhaesio interthalamica had a mean value of 13.1 mm2 (min = 1.5 mm2; max = 34 mm2). There is no correlation between the length of CA-CP line and the size of the midsagittal section area of adhaesio interthalamica (the correlation coefficient was 0.06). The centre of adhaesio interthalamica was most often situated above the CA-CP line and around the perpendicular line through its middle portion. The distance between the corpus callosum and interthalamic adhesion, measured in standardized system of CA-CP line, had a mean value 1.4 cm (min = 0.7 cm; max = 2.3 cm). Our results confirm the opinions that the presence of size of the interthalamic adhaesion depends not directly on the size of the corresponding brain (diencephalon).