The Chiari Network: an Anatomical Variation Or a Risk Factor? Case Report
CASE REPORT Eur J Anat, 15 (2): 107-110 (2011) The Chiari network: an anatomical variation or a risk factor? Case report Elena Félix-Dominguez, Blanca Mompeó-Corredera Departamento de Morfología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain SUMMARY described in the 19th century, becoming important after the introduction of We report an association between a Chiari Echocardiography. Its morphology has been network and an abnormally long coronary studied by echography and it plays a role in sinus. The network, at the Eustachian valve differential diagnosis with some right heart and a morphologically similar network in the pathologies (Goedde et al., 1990; Patane et Thebesian valve, was also associated with a al., 2009). permeable foramen ovale. We review the embryological basis, associated anomalies, The variation is usually discovered during pathological conditions and clinical rele- diagnostic imaging studies, necropsies, and vance. surgical procedures (Loukas et al., 2010). Although it has often been considered clin- ically insignificant, it has been associated with Key words: Chiari network – Embryological some pathologies (Loukas et al., 2010), such as heart development – Vena cava valve – Coro- a patent foramen ovale, atrial septal nary sinus valve aneurysms, and paradoxical embolisms. It has also been described as associated with papil- lary fibroelastomas (Wasdahl et al., 1992), INTRODUCTION arrhythmias, and the development of tumours In human anatomy the concept of normali- (Stanley, 2001). ty includes a range of common morphologies, Some of these associations may be a conse- while less frequent morphologies considered quence of the behavior of the net itself, like normal are described as variations.
[Show full text]