Coronary arterial fistulas are abnormal connections between the coronary arteries and the chambers of the heart or major thoracic vessels. Although first described in 1841, the true incidence is difficult to evaluate because approximately half of the cases may be asymptomatic and clinically undetectable. This review will discuss the history and prevalence of coronary artery fistulas and their morphology, histology, presentation, diagnosis, treatment options, and complications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeinrich Obersteiner (1847-1921) was amongst the most influential neuroscientists in the 19th century. Born into a family of physicians, he gained early exposure to medicine, and as a medical student, he focused much of his research in neuroanatomy, eventually becoming a professor of neuroanatomy at the University of Vienna. Throughout his academic career, he focused greatly on neuropathology, and incorporated much of his research into his textbook, "Introduction to the Study of the Structure of the Central Nervous Organs in Health and Disease," which was considered the foremost reference text of neurology for many generations of scholars.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Central nervous system tumors are the second most common form of cancer in children between the ages of 1 and 19 years. We aimed to provide the most recent data on the incidence and survival of these tumors in the USA and to assess the literature.
Methods: Frequency, rates, and survival sessions were calculated using the November 2008 submission for the US Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Program.
Venetian physician Giovanni Domenico Santorini is revered as one of the most industrious and thorough anatomists of the eighteenth century. After receiving his medical degree in Pisa, Santorini worked as a physician and professor of anatomy and obstetrics in Venice. Of interest, he was a student of Malpighi while in Pisa.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInjury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is one of the most common iatrogenic complications of thyroid surgery. The anatomical course of the nerve also increases its susceptibility to injury and many variations have been documented in the literature. The topographical relationship of the RLN to the ligament of Berry has been extensively studied over the past decades.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe annular pancreas remains an intriguing congenital anomaly. Many theories have sought to explain its embryological basis; however, no consensus has yet been reached regarding the exact mechanism of aberration. More recently, molecular investigations have shed light on some of these theories, confirming the origination of annular tissue from the ventral pancreatic bud.
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