Length growth of the various aortic segments in human foetuses

Abstrakt

This study defines normal growth for the various aortic segments in 128 spontaneously aborted human foetuses aged 15–34 weeks. With the use of anatomical dissection, digital-image analysis (using the Leica Q Win Pro 16 system) and statistical analysis (ANOVA, regression equation), a range of length measurements for the ascending aorta, aortic arch and thoracic aorta was examined. No significant gender differences were found (p ≥ 0.05). The length of the ascending aorta ranged from 2.63 ± 0.42 to 10.80 ± 1.49 mm, according to the linear function y = –4.678 + 0.4647 x ± ± 0.8447. The aortic arch length increased from 3.93 ± 0.57 to 15.25 ± ± 1.98 mm, in accordance with the linear model y = –6.079 + 0.6370 x ± ± 1.1133. The length of the thoracic aorta ranged from 12.49 ± 1.85 to 48.82 ± 6.31 mm, according to the linear pattern y = –19.654 + 2.0512 x ± ± 3.5168. The sum of the lengths of these aortic segments generated the linear function y = –30.410 + 3.153 x ± 5.4332. The relationships between the lengths of the various aortic segments generated the linear regressions: y = –0.2256 + 0.7276 x ± 0.3093 (for the ascending aorta vs. the aortic arch), y = 0.0252 + 0.3105 x ± 0.2189 (for the aortic arch vs. the thoracic aorta), and y = –0.2408 + 0.22709 x ± 0.2026 (for the ascending aorta vs. the thoracic aorta). The ascending aorta, aortic arch and thoracic aorta also increased proportionally (5:7:22) during gestation.

(Folia Morphol 2008; 67: 245–250)