Abstract :
The first major organ system to start functioning is cardiovascular system and the aorta is the major vessel which supplies most of the parts of the human body with its branches. Measurement of foetal aorta is vital as it helps clinicians to predict the aneurysms and in performing certain surgical procedures. The aim of the study is to estimate the various aortic parameters in fetus of varying gestational age and study the histology of foetal aorta at different gestational age. The prospective study was done for a period of two years in the Department of Anatomy at Sapthagiri Institute of Medical Sciences and Research center, Bengaluru, from
December 2012 to December 2014, on 16 spontaneously aborted foetuses from 10th week to term whose gestational age were determined from LMP of foetus. The Crown Rump Length, length and the external diameter of the ascending aorta, arch of aorta and descending aorta was measured and histological sections were stained with H and E and were studied. The measurements were done using caliper scale. To conclude growth is linear in all vessel segments and histology was same in foetal and adult aorta. As the gestational age increases the aortic parameters increase according to Crown Rump Length of foetus. Measurement of the diameter and length of aorta at different gestational age serves numerous purposes. There has been no study done on this in India which encouraged to take this study.
Keyword :
Abdominal aorta, Caliper, Foetus, Gestational age, Crown Rump Length.