Morphological Study of Fossa Ovalis in Formalin-Fixed Human Hearts and Its Clinical Importance

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Our study aimed to investigate the gross anatomy aspects of the fossa ovalis (FO) and the presence of some anatomical variation resulting from the incomplete fusion of septum primum and septum secundum, such as an atrial septal pouch (SP) and left atrial septal ridge. Materials and Methods: Thirty-one adult human hearts removed from formalin-fixed specimens were examined to provide information about the morphology of the FO. The organs were free of any gross anatomically visible pathological conditions. Results: The most common variants were the FO located in the inferior part of the interatrial septum (64.51%), circular (61.3%), with a net-like structure (51.62%), prominent limbus (93.55%), and patent foramen ovale (PFO) (25.8%). The right SP was observed in 9.67% of specimens, the left SP was observed in 29.03% of cases, and in 51.61% of cases, a double SP was observed. One sample presented a right SP and a double left SP, and one case showed a triple left SP, which was not reported previously to our knowledge. Conclusions: Knowledge of the interatrial septal anatomy becomes important for interventional cardiologists and should be documented before transeptal puncture.

Genetic Counseling and Management: The First Study to Report NIPT Findings in a Romanian Population

“…The mean maternal age in the group detected to be at high-risk for aneuploidies was 35.83 years (range between 25-44 years), but if we exclude the false-positive cases and consider only the confirmed aneuploidies, mean maternal age was 34.5 years (range between [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42], very close to the mean age of the entire study group, which was 33.4 years (ranging between 21-47 years). The mean values were somewhat close, therefore not statistically significant, and considering the very wide ranges found in the study group, it did not help us in assessing the risk before NIPT was performed.…”

“…The pregnant woman was 39 years old and gave birth to a healthy baby. In contrast, another 37-year-old woman with the pregnancy achieved by IVF, with cystic hygroma and heart abnormality on a prenatal ultrasound, and NIPT high-risk for monosomy X was found to have a fetus with trisomy 13 after CVS with QF-PCR was performed [42]. Preimplantation genetic testing was not performed in this case.…”