The basal aortic root measurements were determined in 320 fresh, autopsied, normal, adult, Sri Lankan hearts collected from the Judicial Medical Office, National Hospital of Sri Lanka. The correlation between the measurements and demographic data of the individual was calculated. The mean aortic root circumference at the basal ring was 64.7 mm ± 7SD (males 66.0mm ± 6.4SD, females 58.0mm ± 6.1SD) and calculated aortic annular diameter was 20.60mm ± 2.2SD (males 21.02mm ± 2.0SD, females 18.47mm ± 1.9SD). Mean circumference showed significant gender difference. Significant positive correlation was seen between the age and aortic root circumference. We describe the normal range of aortic root diameters in healthy adult autopsied Sri Lankans. The values are smaller in Sri Lankans compared to Caucasians.

Knowledge of anatomy is crucial for safe and efficient clinical practice. Therefore, it is important to have a structured curriculum and teaching methodologies for efficient learning by the students. In this context, curriculum should be reformed based on students' feedback and expert opinions. This descriptive crosssectional study was to assess the perceptions of medical students regarding the anatomy curriculum and its relevance to clinical activities based on the feedback of gross anatomy teaching from medical students of para clincal and clinical studies. A Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 319 students. Nearly 65 -71 % of the students have mentioned that the time allocated to learn anatomy is sufficient for them. Nearly 86 % of the students have commented to have case-based learning to improve the clinical relevance of anatomy. Regarding the assessment, 75 % of students said to include more case scenarios in essay.Results of our study demonstrated that anatomy syllabus is adequate to integrate with clinical practice and the time allocated to learn anatomy is sufficient.

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Recent advances and refinements in mitral valve surgery as well as interventional procedures have revived the interest in disparity in the morphology and morphometry of papillary muscles of the mitral valve. Study was taken up with an effort to extend the concepts previously presented on papillary muscles of mitral valve. Papillary muscles were studied in 320 fresh autopsied adult normal hearts. With varying number of muscle bellies. Anterolateral (ALPM) and posteromedial (PMPM) groups of papillary muscles were found. In two hearts, the ALPM and PMPM were connected by muscle tissue. According to the number of separate muscle bellies, 4 groups were categorized with increasing complexity. Single belly was the commonest form in the ALPM (73 %) and two bellies were the commonest form in the PMPM (40%). The papillary muscles show a great variability on the nature of attachment to the ventricular wall. More than half of the hearts studied had a mixed type of papillary muscles (partly tethered and partly protruding in ALPM and PMPM groups. The mean distance separating the mitral annulus from the apex of the ALPM was 19.38 mm ± 3 SD (range 5 – 26) and from the apex of the PMPM was 20.36mm ± 3.7 SD (range 10 – 32). The average length of ALPM was 32.24 mm ± 4.8 SD (range 20 - 45) and that of the PMPM was 29.92 mm ± 4.9 SD (range 16 - 44). The documented classical view of two papillary muscles should be adapted with 4 types of variations in morphology with increasing complexity.

Femoral triangle is an important site for various clinical procedures. Knowledge about anatomical variations of femoral vessels is important to prevent inadvertent damage during surgical procedures and for successful arterial and venous cannulation.Even though variations are mostly incidental findings and being of general anatomical interest, knowledge of these variations appears to be mandatory for planning surgery and vascular interventions.