Morphological observation of Mahaim's fibers in 7 cases
10.3760/j.issn:0529-5807.2001.02.009
- VernacularTitle:Mahaim纤维七例形态学观察
- Author:
Yixuan SONG
1
;
Qingsong YAO
;
Zhiren LUO
;
Jiazhen ZHU
Author Information
1. Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences
- From:
Chinese Journal of Pathology
2001;30(2):118-120
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To investigate the Mahaim's fibers of the cardiac con duction system (CCS) of human hearts and study their morphological features. Methods The CCS from 165 cases of sudden death without extracardiac causes and tho se from 760 cases of non-cardiac death were sampled using a method established by the authors. Serial sections were prepared for histological observation. Results Mahaim's fibers were discovered in 7 cases, 5 cases were in the sudden dea th group, accounting for 3% in that group, 2 cases were in the non-cardiac deat h group, accounting for 0.26% in that group. All cases belonged to the bundle-ve n tricular branch type. The characteristics of Mahaim's fibers were found to be a s follows. Their transverse diameter was 10～35 microns. The bodies of the Mahaim 's fibers that originated from A-V bundle were slender with nucleus in the middle of the cell. While the shape of cells from the left bundle branch varied accord ing to the origin of the Mahaim's fiber with size enlarging from up downward. B oth types of cells showed abundant lightly stained cytoplasm, similar to A-V bu n dle and left bundle branch cells. The cells were not bifurcated and some of them were surrounded by a thin layer of fibrous tissue. Conclusion Mahaim's fibers are not a rarity and it is an abnormal development of an A-V by-path.
