The clinical anatomy of the coronary arteries - Horia Muresian

The work represents an extensively-illustrated and clinically-oriented monograph on the anatomy of the coronary arteries addressed to all the specialists who diagnose and treat cardiac diseases, to residents in the above mentioned fields and not least, to the medical students.

The book emerges as a result of the author’s clinical and surgical experience, doubled by an important personal contribution to the basic anatomical discipline through the achievement of a study on 100 human heart specimens. An extensive review of the literature completes the text, providing an easy access to update information on coronary arterial anatomy and physiology both in normal and in disease, and particularly including data on cardiac development, congenital heart disease, coronary anomalies and variations.

Some debated or less known topics are comprehensibly presented, for example: collateral circulation and connections in the coronary system, myocardial bridging, the vascularization of particular cardiac areas and structures (e.g. septum, aortic and pulmonary roots, papillary muscles, conduction tissue), coronary arterial typology and dominance. New ideas and views logically follow, such as the coronary arterial preferential pathways, to which, for example, a whole chapter is dedicated. The text encompasses numerous clinical and surgical applications. Bibliographic references are included at the end of each chapter.

The anatomical specimens depict unparalleled representations of the dissections performed by the author. The heart specimens were prepared and dissected in order to demonstrate the less known or hidden details of the cardiac structures and their reciprocal relationship – specially relevant and useful for the diagnostician and surgeon. Not least, the images aid in teaching cardiac anatomy. The photographic recording, performed also by the author, illustrates the heart in the anatomically correct orientation, as in the living patient – thus serving as a more useful guide to the afore mentioned specialists. Angiographic images and references to echographic interrogation accompany the anatomical illustrations.

A unitary language and a constructive dialogue between wide categories of specialists is consequently promoted, with the intention of bridging the inherent gaps between their various angles of vision, as the parallel-evolving anatomical science and clinical achievements ask for a pertinent exchange of information between these two major domains, complementary in their final design and purpose: the benefit of the patients.