Assessment to access to social and medical help- for homeless people in Cracow in the context to health problems.

Introduction: Although homelessness is a worldwide problem also present in Poland and the Małopolska region, the data about it are not sufficient.

Aim Of The Study: Assessment of the general situation in Cracow and help options for homeless people.

Materials And Methods: A survey study conducted in 11 places offering refuge to homeless people in Cracow.

Variations and angulation of the coronary sinus tributaries: Implications for left ventricular pacing.

Background: Variations of the coronary sinus tributaries might result in difficulties in left ventricle electrode insertion during cardiac resynchronizing therapy. Morphometric features of tributaries, especially angulation of the coronary sinus tributaries, are crucial for coronary sinus procedures.

Methods: This study was carried out on 200 formaldehyde-fixed human hearts (22.

Alarming decline in recognition of anatomical structures amongst medical students and physicians.

Background: Insufficient anatomical training can put patients' safety at risk. The aim of this study was to assess the proficiency of medical students and physicians in identifying labeled anatomical structures. The second aim of the study was to evaluate factors that can affect this recognition.

The median nerve penetrating through the radial head of the flexor digitorum superficialis muscle: Case report.

The forearm is a body region of numerous anatomical variations. Due to its favorable anatomy flexor digitorum superficialis muscle (FDS) is commonly used in tendon transfer surgeries. In this study a unique combination of abnormalities was found in a single forearm: the flexor digitorum superficialis muscle penetrated by the median nerve, one of the flexor digitorum superficialis tendons early division and absence of the palmaris longus muscle.

Blood Vessels and Myocardial Thickness within the Left Atrial Appendage Isthmus Line.

Electric isolation of the left atrial appendage (LAA) and linear ablations in the area of the LAA base are gaining popularity. However, very little is known about the myocardial architecture and the presence of epicardial blood vessels within this region, which could significantly influence the course of such procedures. We examined 200 autopsied hearts (22.

The influence of fixation on the cardiac tissue in a 1-year observation of swine hearts.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of formaldehyde-based fixation on dimension, weight and shape of cardiac tissue during a 1-year observation.

Materials And Methods: Seven measuring sites were permanently marked in 40 swine hearts prior to fixation. Four study groups (n = 10 each) were assembled that differed only in concentration and the type of fixative.

Cardiac computed tomography compared with two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography for the detection and assessment of atrial septal pouches.

The aim of this study is to compare the two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (2D-TEE) with multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and with autopsied material to evaluate the ability and precision of the imaging methods for the detection and assessment of septal pouch (SP). One hundred and fifty patients that underwent both 2D-TEE and MSCT and 50 autopsied human hearts were investigated. In MSCT, the interatrial septum was classified as a left SP in 37.

Left-Sided Atrial Septal Pouch is a Risk Factor for Cryptogenic Stroke.

Background: The atrial septal pouch is an anatomic variant of the interatrial septum. The morphology of the left-sided septal pouch (LSSP) may favor blood stasis and predispose to thromboembolic events. The aim of this study was to determine the association between LSSP presence and cryptogenic stroke.

Mid-esophageal bicaval versus short-axis view of interatrial septum in two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography for diagnosis and measurement of atrial septal pouches.

Background: Recent studies suggest that the left-sided septal pouch (SP) may increase the risk of cryptogenic stroke and act as an arrhythmogenic substrate. The aim of this study was to compare two transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) projections of the interventricular septum: mid-esophageal bicaval and short-axis views toward evaluating their ability to detect SPs.

Materials And Methods: A total of 146 patients with both bicaval and short-axis TEE views were included in this study.

Comparative iTRAQ analysis of protein abundance in the human sinoatrial node and working cardiomyocytes.

Our objective was to assess the changes in protein abundance in the human sinoatrial node (SAN) compared with working cardiomyocytes to identify SAN-specific protein signatures. Four pairs of samples (the SAN and working cardiomyocytes) were obtained postmortem from four human donors with no evidence of cardiovascular disease. We performed protein identification and quantitation using two-dimensional chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with isobaric peptide labeling (iTRAQ).

Porcine heart interatrial septum anatomy.

Background: The left-sided atrial septal pouch (SP), a recently re-discovered anatomical structure within the human interatrial septum, has emerged as a possible source of thrombi formation and a trigger for atrial fibrillation, thereby potentially increasing the risk for ischemic stroke. In many studies, the swine interatrial septum has been used as model of the human heart. Also, possible new strategies and devices for management of the SPs may first be tested in this pig model.

Anatomy of the mitral subvalvular apparatus.

Objectives: To characterize morphologic variations in the papillary muscles and tendinous cords of the left ventricle and ventricular zones of the mitral valve leaflets.

Methods: A total of 100 autopsied human hearts from healthy donors with classical mitral valve type were investigated.

Results: In 1 heart, only 1 group of papillary muscles was found, and in the remaining 99%, we could distinguish 2 groups of muscles: Superolateral (SLPM) and inferoseptal papillary muscle (ISPM) groups.

Penetration of formaldehyde based fixatives into heart.

Objectives: To investigate the penetration depth of formaldehyde-based fixatives into cardiac muscle samples over the course of fixation.

Background: Fixation is the essential step in anatomical studies. However, very little is known about penetration of most common fixatives into cardiac tissue.

Morphologic variability of the mitral valve leaflets.

Objectives: The rapid development of surgical and less-invasive percutaneous mitral valve repair procedures has increased interest in mitral valve anatomy. We characterize the morphologic variability of the mitral valve leaflets and provide the size of their particular parts.

Methods: We studied 200 autopsied human hearts from white individuals without any valvar diseases.

Persistent left superior vena cava.

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is the most common congenital malformation of thoracic venous return and is present in 0.3 to 0.5% of individuals in the general population.

Left atrial accessory appendages, diverticula, and left-sided septal pouch in multi-slice computed tomography. Association with atrial fibrillation and cerebrovascular accidents.

Background: The aim of this study is to provide a morphometric description of the left-sided septal pouch (LSSP), left atrial accessory appendages, and diverticula using cardiac multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and to compare results between patient subgroups.

Methods: Two hundred and ninety four patients (42.9% females) with a mean of 69.

Residua of thymus in the mediastinum - clinical aspects - cadaveric study.

The main goal of this study was to investigate possible residua of thymic tissue in 100 adult cadavers with no thoracic pathology known before, by dissection of standard locations of thymic tissue in perithyroid, periaortic, peritracheal and retrotracheal spaces, as well as areas located next to the course of phrenic, vagus and left recurrent laryngeal nerves. Thus obtained tissue samples were studied by two pathologists independently. The remnants of the thymic tissue were found in 61 out of 100 specimens studied.

Spatial relationship of blood vessels within the mitral isthmus line.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the spatial relationship of blood vessels and the thickness of the atrial wall within the mitral isthmus line.

Methods And Results: A total of 200 randomly selected autopsied adult human hearts (Caucasian) were examined. The mitral isthmus line was cut longitudinally and the thickness of the left atrial wall was measured.

Anatomic characteristics of the mitral isthmus region: The left atrial appendage isthmus as a possible ablation target.

The mitral isthmus is a part of the postero-inferior area of the lateral left atrial wall located between the mitral annulus and the left inferior pulmonary vein ostium. Linear ablation lesions are created within the mitral isthmus for the invasive treatment of left atrial arrhythmias. However, the anatomy of this region is not fully understood.

Clinical Anatomy of the Cavotricuspid Isthmus and Terminal Crest.

The aim of this study was to provide useful information about the cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) and surrounding areas morphology, which may help to plan CTI radio-frequency ablation. We examined 140 autopsied human hearts from Caucasian individuals of both sexes (29.3% females) with a mean age of 49.

Atrial septal pouch - Morphological features and clinical considerations.

Background: The atrial septal pouch (SP) is a new anatomical entity within the interatrial septum. The left-sided SP may be the source of thrombus and contribute to ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to provide a detailed morphometric description of the SP.