Abstract
Myocardial bridge (MB) is frequently detected in the left anterior descending coronary
artery (LAD), and LAD intima under MB is significantly spared from atherosclerotic
evolution. Significance of anatomical features of MB on the extent of atherosclerosis
of LAD was histomorphometrically investigated. Full-length 200 LADs with MB and 100
control LADs without MB were cross-sectioned at 5 mm intervals, and atherosclerosis ratio and intimal lesion types were evaluated. In
cases with MB located within 5 cm from the left coronary ostium, atherosclerosis ratio in the proximal part of LAD
was significantly lower than in control group, but, in cases with MB locating more
than 5 cm from the ostium, atherosclerosis ratio in this part was similar to that in control
cases. MB thickness was significantly correlated with its length, and the longer the
MB the more proximally it tended to be located in LAD. Atherosclerosis ratio under
MB was lower in cases with thick or long MBs than in cases with thinner or shorter
MBs. In addition, intimal lesion in segments proximal to MB tended to be eccentric.
Our results suggest that these anatomical properties of MB are the critical modulators
for atherosclerosis evolution in the entire course of LAD.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 22, 2005
Accepted:
July 11,
2005
Received in revised form:
June 21,
2005
Received:
January 25,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
