The small coronary arteries in alcoholic cardiomyopathy.

The small coronary arteries of two patients with alcoholic cardiomyopathy were studied by means of fine particle barium injection and soft x-ray technic. The spatial architecture of these small arteries which penetrated into the depth of the right and left ventricular myocardium were normal. Their lumina were somewhat dilated and their luminal surfaces were smooth. The "tree circulatory units" were described from this study and were found to be normal. The left ventricular myocardium was richly supplied with small arteries, whereas the myocardium of the right ventricle was not so richly supplied. The myocardium of the papillary muscles and the trabeculae carneae of the left ventricle also had a good supply of small arteries, as did the remote endocardial myocardial appendages. Numerous fine hair-like arteries extended to the epicardial myocardium of the right ventricle to form a brush-like appearance.