title: [Clinico-pathological study of the mechanism of initiation and progression of right ventricular infarction].
abstract: To clarify the mechanism of initiation and progression of right ventricular myocardial infarction, 35 cases were examined among 236 cases of consecutively autopsied hearts. Twenty-six (52%) of 50 cases with posterior left ventricular infarction showed right ventricular infarction, and no statistical differences were observed in the age, gender, and number of impaired vessels among patients with and without right ventricular infarction. However, more proximal occlusion or more extensive thrombi in the right coronary artery did play a very important role in the genesis of the infarction and its progression. Right ventricular dilatation was frequently associated, probably resulted from the functional disorder of contraction and relaxation of the myocardium. Unusual asynchronous ischemia was observed in the right ventricle concomitantly with posterior left ventricular infarction, suggesting the presence of a protective mechanism against ischemia by the abundant collateral circulation of the right ventricle. In conclusion, right ventricular infarction occurs only with the cease of collateral circulation due to proximal occlusion and the presence of long thrombi in the right coronary artery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuwao
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kikawada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003097:Collateral Circulation; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology