title: [Spherical configuration of the aortic valve].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the normal human aortic valvular ring, and to evaluate the possibility of reproducing its shape artificially.
  
  
  METHODS
  The anatomical configuration of six normal aortic valves was studied through the injection of silicone rubber in the ascending aorta. From the resulting casts, epoxi models corresponding to the aortic annulus were obtained. The following parameters were determined: diameter of the base (Db), diameter of the commissures (Dc), height (h) and the Db/Dc and Db/h relationships. The mean value (X) and the standard deviation (SD) of each parameter were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The observation of the casts indicate that the aortic valvular ring derives from a sphere. The measures obtained were: Db = 22 +/- 1.67 mm; Dc = mean 19.67 +/- 1.3 mm; h = 16.00 +/- 1.09 mm; Db/Dc = mean = 1.12 +/- 0.04 and Db/h = 1.38 +/- 0.10. Starting from these figures it was possible to define the spheric configuration of the aortic valvular ring, as well as to reproduce it artificially.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The aortic valvular ring has a configuration derived from a sphere or hemisphere. The parameters obtained from the above program, it was possible to reproduce the configuration of the aortic valvular ring and to use it for a bioprosthesis.
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração do Hospital das Clínicas--FMUSP.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Fontes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bonassa
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Jatene
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001705:Bioprosthesis / Q000592:standards*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008953:Models, Anatomic
vernacular_title: Configuração esférica do aparelho valvar aórtico.