title: An esophago-atrial vein or fibrous cord in a top fold of the oblique sinus of the pericardial sac.
abstract: In a previous anatomical study of the oblique sinus of pericardium, we reported on the morphological variations of this recess. We noted a previously undescribed variation of its top in 32.7% of our cases. Here we detail this variation using microscopic and macroscopic mediastinal dissections of 107 adult fresh cadavers. It seems a top fold of the oblique sinus contains a permeable esophago-atrial vein or a fibrous cord. These unique variations of the oblique sinus modify the classical anatomical and embryological descriptions. Abnormal esophago-atrial veins have not been described previously but they are predictable according to embryological knowledge. From a clinical point of view, such a vein, permeable or not, may facilitate extension of esophageal carcinoma to the pericardium and may represent a porto-systemic bypass in cases of portal hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Anatomy, Grenoble Medical University, 38706, La Tronche, France. pchaffanjon@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: P C J
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chaffanjon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Piolat
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Palombi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Faure
authors.forename: P-Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Brichon
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014680:Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology