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Carotid Atherosclerosis Research Paper

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Haemodynamics of large vessels by Phase Contrast MRI

Cardiovascular diseases
The cardiovascular system is the network of blood vessels with the major role in transportation of oxygen and nutrition to the tissues and the waste products from organs and tissues. The diseases of the cardiovascular system, either acquired or congenital, may result in ischemia or undersupply of major organs, which would be a threat to the overall health of an individual. Events caused by cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite improvements in the treatment and the preventive strategies of cardiovascular diseases, the social and economic burdens due to these diseases continue to grow. Further efforts, therefore, …show more content…

This thesis focuses on two diseases which are examples of acquired and congenital cardiovascular diseases: carotid atherosclerosis and univentricular heart repaired by Fontan operation.

Carotid artery atherosclerosis

The first part of the thesis is devoted to carotid atherosclerosis. Carotid arteries are the main blood suppliers of the brain. They are found on each side of the neck and they bifurcate to two arteries: internal carotid artery and external carotid artery (figure 1). Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease affecting large and medium-sized arteries including carotid arteries. It is an acquired disease which initiates at very early ages and progresses silently through decades. It is characterized by accumulation of cholesterol, calcium, lipid and other waste, also called plaques, within the inner wall of artery. The disease originates by dysfunction of endothelial cells, which are the cells forming the innermost layer of the vessel wall. Endothelial cells are semi-permeable and they control the …show more content…

Congenital heart disease occurs in approximately 1% of newborns and nearly 10% of these malformations belong to the group of univerntricular heart [Ref]. In patients with univentricular heart, the functioning ventricle receives the flow of both pulmonary and systemic circulation which causes a volume overload in the ventricle and reduces the functional ability of heart. In early 70’s, Fontan and Baudet introduced a palliative surgical technique aiming at reducing overload of heart in patients with tricuspid atresia by separating systemic and pulmonary venous return. Since the original technique was firstly introduced, it has been adapted greatly and applied to the patients with univentricular heart. Currently, the infants with univentricular heart undergo multiple consecutive operations with the final surgical operation creating so called Fontan circulation. The Fontan circulation separates systemic and pulmonary venous return by creating a direction connection between caval veins and pulmonary arteries. Two surgical approaches, which are called intracardiac lateral tunnel (ILT) [Ref] and extracardiac conduit (ECC) [Ref], are favoured to create Fontan circulation. ILT approach involves placement of an intraatrial baffle (figure 2a) while ECC approach creates anastomosis between pulmonary arteries and inferior caval vein

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