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Right ventricular false tendons, a cadaveric approach

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Abstract

Left ventricular false tendons (LFTs) have been extensively described and recognized by gross anatomic studies. However, there is very little information available regarding right ventricular false tendons (RFTs). The aim of our study, therefore, was to explore and delineate the morphology, topography and morphometry of the RFTs, and provide a comprehensive picture of their anatomy across a broad range of specimens. We identified 35/100 heart specimens containing right ventricular RFTs and classified them into five types. In Type I (21, 47.7%) the RFTs, was located between the ventricular septum and the anterior papillary muscle; in Type II (11, 22.9%) between ventricular septum and the posterior papillary muscle; in Type III (7, 14.5%) between the anterior leaflet of the tricuspid valve and the right ventricular free wall; in Type IV (5, 10.4%) between the posterior papillary muscle and the ventricular free wall; and lastly, in Type V (4, 8.3%) between the anterior papillary muscle and ventricular free wall. The mean length of the RFTs was 18 ± 7 mm with a mean diameter of 1.4 ± 05 mm. Histologic examination with Masson trichrome and PAS revealed that 20 (41.6%) of the 48 RFTs carried conduction tissue fibers. The presence of conduction tissue fibers within the RFTs was limited to Types I, III, and IV. In Types II and V the RFTs resembled fibrous structures in contrast with Type I, II and IV, which were composed more of muscular fibers, including conduction tissue fibers. RFTs containing conduction tissue fibers were identified, which may implicate them in the appearance of arrhythmias.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, St George’s University, Grenada, West Indies

    Marios Loukas, Christopher T. Wartmann, Robert G. Louis Jr, Brandie Black & Robert Jordan

  2. Department of Education and Development, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Marios Loukas

  3. Department of Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Christopher T. Wartmann

  4. Department of Cell Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    R. Shane Tubbs

  5. Department of Anatomy, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

    Nihal Apaydin

  6. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Robert G. Louis Jr

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  1. Marios Loukas
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  2. Christopher T. Wartmann
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  3. R. Shane Tubbs
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  4. Nihal Apaydin
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  5. Robert G. Louis Jr
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  6. Brandie Black
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  7. Robert Jordan
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Correspondence to Marios Loukas.

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Loukas, M., Wartmann, C.T., Tubbs, R.S. et al. Right ventricular false tendons, a cadaveric approach. Surg Radiol Anat 30, 317–322 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-008-0326-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-008-0326-5

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