PERICARDIAL REFLECTION AROUND THE VENOUS ASPECT OF THE HEART

The authors have studied the pericardial recesses of the venous aspect of the heart. They report 107 anatomical dissections on fresh cadaver s with the cardiac cavities artificially filled. Variations in the num ber of the pulmonary vv., in their diameters and their pericardial seg ments are reported. The characteristics of the oblique sinus, of the p ostcaval and pulmonary recesses are also reported. These variations de fine five types of pericardial morphology. A classification is propose d. These results differ from those in the literature, possibly because the pericardial reflection is delineated in diastolic filling of the cavities. These morphometric data are useful in anatomic instruction, imaging of the mediastinum, and the surgery of malignant tumors and pu lmonary transplantation.