Postnatal persistence of spongy myocardium with embryonic blood supply

Arch Pathol. 1975 Jun;99(6):312-7.

Abstract

Focal presence of the embryonic pattern of myoarchitecture and of a lacunary blood supply was found in the left ventricular wall of five infant hearts. Four of these hearts showed various malformations; one was a case of cardiac fibroma. The persisting intertrabecular spaces and sinusoids communicated with the ventricular lumen; there appeared to be some communication with the coronary branches. The intertrabecular spaces of the spongy myocardium were lined with a continuous layer of endothelial cells, thus resembling the microscopical appearance of myocardium of adult cold-blooded vertebrates rather than the embryonic phase of myocardial development of warm-blooded animals.

MeSH terms

  • Aortic Valve Stenosis / pathology
  • Autopsy
  • Coronary Vessels / embryology
  • Coronary Vessels / pathology*
  • Female
  • Fetal Death / pathology
  • Heart Defects, Congenital / pathology*
  • Heart Ventricles / abnormalities
  • Heart Ventricles / pathology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Myocardium / pathology*
  • Pregnancy