Study of Morphometry and Elastic Fibre Distribution in Left and Right Coronary Arteries

Background: Coronary artery disease also called as ischemic heart disease which develops when major blood vessels that supply blood to heart become damaged or diseased. It is also one of the leading causes of death. Morphometry and elastic fibre distribution in coronary arteries may help in using appropriate size catheters for diagnostic procedures. Aim and Objectives: To study the morphometry and elastic fibre distribution in left and right coronary artery. Material and Methods: Segment of left and right coronary arteries each having length of 0.5 cm were collected from 30 adult human heart specimens fixed in 10% formalin. Outer and inner diameters were measured. Tissues were processed and stained by verhoeff's Van Geison stain. Stained slides were scanned by “IS capture software” under 10 × magnifications. Results: Outer diameter of left coronary artery is 4.225 ± 0.6963mm and right coronary artery is 3.827 ± 0.6869mm. Inner diameter of left coronary artery is 3.338 ± 0.5853 and that of right coronary is 2.869 ± 0.6104mm. Conclusion: Diameter, wall thickness, thickness of tunica intima, tunica media is more in left coronary artery than the right. Also left coronary artery shows more number of elastic fibers than right coronary artery.