Role of "wave line" (Doerr; Wellenlinie) of aorta in atherosclerosis.
Some aortas of neonates and of children have intimal wrinkles (wave line) which run closely pucked and horizontally across the longitudinal axis. Frequently the wave line corresponded with arteriosclerotic lesion. The purpose of this study is about the distribution of this structure and its relation to arteriosclerosis. 180 aortas ranging from neonates to 82 year olds were examined. The frequency of the wave line was 133 of 180 aortas (74%). The wave line already were visible in new born babies and were frequently found in the second and third decades. However, in cases over 30 years old its frequency decreased. It was suggested that this was due to increasing thickness of the intima and development of arteriosclerosis, which tend to obscure the wave line. The wave line could be classified into three patterns of distribution; (A) beginning from under the closure of the ductus arteriosus of the aorta, (B) beginning from the posterior wall of the celiac artery in the vicinity of the diaphragma and (C) beginning in the vicinity of the outside of lumbar artery running along the outside of each lumbar artery. These three distribution patterns were found in neonates and arteriosclerosis was--with advancing age--apt to correspond to the (C) pattern of wave lines. The histogenesis of the wave line was not clarified. It was apparent that these structures were closely related to arterial branching. Judging from these studies, there seemed to be some relation between the branching and the torsion resulting from the growth of the aorta.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged