[Macroscopic and micrometric examination of pressure-fixed human coronary orifices (author's transl)].

The aortic roots with coronary orifices and coronary vessels were pressure-fixed in 54 postmortal hearts, by means of a special method. Two origin and one course anomaly of coronary vessels were found. A missing supravalvular ridge usually limiting the distal extent of the sinus Valsalvae was of no importance with regard to the regular function of the aortic valves. Atherosclerotic deposits were found more often in front of and in the orifices than directly behind them. In both atherosclerotic free and atherosclerotic orifices, the "cranial" walls proved to be on average thicker than "caudal" walls. The difference was greater on the left than on the right. In arteriosclerotic cases, this difference became on average considerably larger on the left, but remained relatively equal on the right side. Taking the hemodynamic conditions of the aortic root into account, the findings suggest that the angles between the aortic root and the coronary vessels have an influence on the wall thickness of the ostia. This possibly explains the more frequent occurrence of ostial stenoses on the right side. A smaller exit angle therefore appears advantageous in cases of artificial orifices, too.