Location and Size of Coronary Ostia in Normal Autopsied Hearts at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia

Abstract

Background: Coronary ostia are orifices located in the aortic sinuses from which coronary arteries normally arise. Knowledge of their location and size is important in diagnosis and treatment cardiovascular diseases. Materials and methods: A total of 125 hearts were dissected and examined during autopsy to determine the size and location of the coronary ostia in the aortic sinus, sinu-tubular junction (STJ) or tubular part of the ascending aorta. Photographs of coronary ostia were taken and a Vernier caliper was used to measure ostia. Results: The right coronary ostium was located in the right aortic sinus 79.3% (96/121) and on the STJ in 20.7% (25/121) of the hearts. The left coronary ostium was located in the left aortic sinus in 73.6% (89/121) and on the STJ in 26.4% (32/121) of the hearts. The left coronary ostium width range was 1.6 – 7.9 mm (4.62 ± 1.104 mm) and the height range was 1.5 – 4.9 mm (2.64 ± 0.719 mm). The right coronary ostium width range was 1.6 – 9.6 mm(3.66 ± 1.40 mm) and the height range was 1.1 – 4.9 mm (2.27 ± 0.72 mm).The estimated mean cross sectional area of the left coronary ostium was 9.70 mm2 and that of the right was 6.99 mm2 . The left coronary ostium was significantly larger in size than the right with a p-value < 0.05 when their means were compared using the t-test. Conclusion: The majority of coronary ostia were located in their respective aortic sinuses below the sinutubular junction. Knowledge of the location of coronary ostia in the ascending aorta is important during angiography and surgery around the aortic root.