Mateusz Krystian Hołda

Jagiellonian University | UJ · Chair of Anatomy

The Thebesian valve (TV) can be a significant obstacle to coronary sinus (CS) cannulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristic features of the CS valve-TV anatomy. In particular, emphasis was placed on identifying specific structures of the TV that could potentially complicate CS cannulation. We examined 273 autopsied human hea...

Aims: The first aim of this study was to determine the size of the Koch's triangle. The second one was to investigate relation between its dimensions and other individual-specific and heart-specific parameters as well as to create universal formula to estimate triangle dimensions based on these parameters. Methods and results: This study is a prosp...

Left atrial (LA) structures, including the accessory left atrial appendage (aLAA) and left atrial diverticulum, have been studied based on their prevalence, shape, and association with arrhythmia and thrombi formation. A pooled prevalence with morphometric data has not been determined in previous research. Our goal is to provide structured, clinica...

Introduction: Standard transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) often is not sufficient to properly visualize the geometry of the left ventricle. One of the clinical imaging modalities that can be used for this purpose is contrast-enhanced, electrocardiologically gated cardiac computed tomography (CT). Aim: To compare cardiac CT and TTE as tools for...

Introduction: Aortic valve fenestrations are defined as a loss of aortic valve leaflet tissue. They are a common but overlooked finding with unclear significance. The aim of this study was to investigate the varied functional anatomies of aortic valve fenestrations. Methods: A total of 400 formalin-fixed autopsied human hearts were macroscopical...

Background: Recent clinical reports have emphasized the clinical significance of the left ventricular summit (LVS), a specific triangular epicardial area, as the source of ventricular arrhythmias where radiofrequency ablation is of great difficulty. Materials and methods: The macroscopic morphology of the LVS has been assessed in 80 autopsied an...

To compare the morphometrical features of non-diseased mitral valves imaged in three-dimensional cardiac computed tomography with those analyzed macroscopically in autopsied healthy human hearts. A total of 51 cardiac computed tomography scans and 120 adult autopsied human hearts without cardiovascular disease were examined. The three-dimensional r...

Introduction: In this cadaver-based study, we aimed to present a novel approach to pulmonary valve (PV) anatomy, morphometry, and geometry to offer comprehensive information on PV structure. Materials and methods: 182 autopsied human hearts were investigated morphometrically. Results: The largest PV area was seen for the coaptation center plan...

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the morphometrical features of left atrial appendage (LAA) in patients with atrial fibrillation, subjected to left atrial appendage percutaneous closure (LARIAT) for stroke prevention. Materials and methods: Computed tomography (CT) scans of 51 patients with atrial fibrillation subjected to LARIAT procedu...

Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) treatment leads to significant hemodynamic changes. The aim of our study was to quantitatively analyze the dynamics of mitral regurgitation (MR) severity (evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography) which occur during the treatment of ADHF and to correlate these changes with the clinical condition of patien...

Background: Precise anatomical description of coronary vascular topography in the epicardial area adjacent to left atrial appendage (LAA) is crucial for many procedures performed in this region. The aim of this study was to assess the mutual relations between branches of left coronary artery and great cardiac vein in the left ventricular summit re...

Introduction This study aimed to establish the most accurate and up-to-date anatomical knowledge of pulmonary veins (PV), ostia variations, diameters and ostial area, to provide physicians, especially heart and thoracic surgeons with exact knowledge concerning this area. Materials and methods The main online medical databases, such as PubMed, Emba...

Purpose The left ventricular summit (LVS) is a source of difficult-to-treat arrhythmias because of anatomical limitations. The aim of this study was to perform detailed research of the left atrial appendage (LAA) anatomy of cadaveric hearts to analyze their complex anatomy and coverage of the LVS. Methods and results Eighty human formalin fixed he...

The prompt identification of the type and source of stroke is critical for clinical management, prevention, and treatment. Approximately 25% of ischemic strokes are from the cardioembolic source, and 15–40% of all ischemic strokes are cryptogenic (where a definitive cause is not identified, despite extensive evaluation). The interatrial septum may...

Introduction: The aim of this study was to establish the most accurate and up-to-date anatomical knowledge of PVs ostia variations, diameters and ostial area, in order to provide physicians, especially heart and thoracic surgeons with exact knowledge concerning this area. Materials and methods: Major online medical databases such as PubMed, Embase,...

Purpose: Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) treatment leads to significant hemodynamic changes. The aim of our study was to quantitatively analyze the dynamics of mitral regurgitation (MR) severity (evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography) which occur during the treatment of ADHF and to correlate these changes with the clinical condition...

Background: The aim of our study was to investigate the presence and mutual relationships of coronary vessels within the right atrial appendage (RAA) vestibule. Methods: We examined 200 autopsied hearts. The RAA vestibule was cross-sectioned along its isthmuses (superior, middle, and inferior). Results: The right coronary artery (RCA) was pres...

Background and purpose: It is still disputable whether the specific morphological properties of the patent foramen ovale (PFO) may contribute to the occurrence of stroke. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in the morphometric and functional features of the PFO channel in cryptogenic stroke and non-stroke patients. Methods: A P...

The left ventricular summit (LVS) is a triangular area located at the most superior portion of the left epicardial ventricular region, surrounded by the two branches of the left coronary artery: the left anterior interventricular artery and the left circumflex artery. The triangle is bounded by the apex, septal and mitral margins and base. This rev...

The left ventricular summit (LVS) is a triangular area located at the most superior portion of the left epicardial ventricular region, surrounded by the two branches of the left coronary artery: the left anterior interventricular artery and the left circumflex artery. The triangle is bounded by the apex, septal and mitral margins and base. This rev...

The presence of a persistent median artery has been implicated in the development of compression neuropathies and surgical complications. Due to the large variability in the prevalence of the persistent median artery (PMA) and its subtypes in the literature, more awareness of its anatomy is needed. The aim of our meta-analysis was to find the poole...

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the thickness of the left atrial wall surrounding the LAA orifice. Methods and results: The tissue thickness around the LAA orifice was measured at four points (superior, inferior, anterior, and posterior) in 200 randomly selected autopsied human hearts. The thickest tissue was observed at t...

Background The clinical anatomy of the left atrium is of special interest since many invasive procedures are performed within this chamber. Pulmonary vein isolation, linear transcatheter ablations, transcatheter mitral valve repair procedures and left atrial appendage occlusions are examples of highly effective procedures done within the left atria...

Introduction The muscular sleeves (or myocardial extensions) derived from the right ventricle infundibulum myocardium are considered the true anatomic substrate for right ventricular outflow tract arrhythmias. Methods Pulmonary valve specimens obtained from 65 donors (24.6% females, mean age 45.9 ± 15.8 years) were investigated micro-anatomically....

The right atrioventricular valve (RAV) is an important anatomical structure that prevents blood backflow from the right ventricle to the right atrium. The complex anatomy of the RAV has lowered the success rate of surgical and transcatheter procedures performed within the area. The aim of this study was to describe the morphology of the RAV and det...

Research purpose The sinus node (SN) is the heart's primary pacemaker. Key ion channels (mainly the funny channel, HCN4) and Ca²⁺-handling proteins in the SN are responsible for its function. Transcription factors (TFs) regulate gene expression through inhibition or activation and microRNAs (miRs) do this through inhibition. There is high expressio...

Introduction: The aim of our study was to investigate the presence and mutual relationships of coronary vessels within the right atrial appendage RAA vestibule. Methods and Results: We examined 200 autopsied hearts. The RAA vestibule was cross sectioned along its isthmuses (superior, middle, and inferior). We assessed the presence and mutual relati...

Background: Secondary prevention aimed to prevent the recurrence of cardiovascular events in patients already diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases. Aims: We aimed to assess the level of adherence with guidelines for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in everyday clinical practice. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective a...

Background The left atrial appendage (LAA) is a heart structure with known prothrombogenic and pro-arrhythmogenic properties. Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the specific anatomy of the LAA and to create a simple classification system based on the shape of its body. Method and Results This study investigated 200 randomly selected autops...

Myocardial bridges are anatomical entities characterized by myocardium covering segments of coronary arteries. In some patients, the presence of a myocardial bridge is benign and is only incidentally found on autopsy. In other patients, however, myocardial bridges can lead to compression of the coronary artery during systolic contraction and delaye...

Introduction: The right atrial appendage (RAA) vestibule is an area located in the right atrium between the RAA orifice and the right atrioventricular valve annulus and may be a target for invasive transcatheter procedures. Methods and results: We examined 200 autopsied human hearts. Three isthmuses (an inferior, a middle, and a superior isthmus...

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare, fatal, and incurable disorder. Although advances in the understanding of the PAH pathobiology have been seen in recent years, molecular processes underlying heart remodelling over the course of PAH are still insufficiently understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate myocardial pro...

Introduction: Mitral regurgitation (MR) of varying degrees and mechanisms is a common finding in patients with aortic stenosis with different improvement after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Aim: To evaluate the impact of TAVI on mitral complex geometry and the degree of MR. Material and methods: A total of 31 patients (29.0%...

Aortic valve interstitial cells (VICs) constitute a heterogeneous population involved in the maintenance of unique valvular architecture, ensuring proper hemodynamic function but also engaged in valve degeneration. Recently, cells similar to telocytes/interstitial Cajal-like cells described in various organs were found in heart valves. The aim of t...

Background The pulmonary veins are covered by a myocardial layer, which is often an electrical substrate for atrial fibrillation. The aim of this study was to study the morphologic characteristics of the myocardial sleeves of pulmonary veins by examining a large group of freshly autopsied human material. Methods and Results The study macroscopical...

Background: Aim of this study was to assess changes in cardiac morphometric parameters at different stages of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) using a monocrotaline-induced rat model. Methods: Four groups were distinguished: I-control, non-PAH (n = 18); II-early PAH (n = 12); III-end-stage PAH (n = 23); and IV-end-stage PAH with myocarditis...

Background: The oblique vein of the left atrium is of interest for both basic and clinical electrophysiologists. Aims: We aimed to examine topographic anatomy of oblique vein and focus on assessing vein's location and relationships with surrounding heart structures. Methods: There were 200 autopsied adult human hearts examined. Results: The...

A quadricuspid pulmonary valve obtained upon autopsy of a 26-year-old male was examined. The macroscopic evaluation revealed three normal (posterior, right anterior and left anterior) leaflets and one additional leaflet of the pulmonary valve. Except that, the heart showed neither other anatomical variabilities nor any signs of heart disease. The a...

Introduction: It is still disputable whether specific morphometric features of the patent foramen ovale (PFO) may stratify patients by the related probability that a discovered PFO is incidental or stroke related. Objective: We aimed to determine whether certain morphometrical characteristics of PFO are associated with an increased risk of cereb...

Introduction: The superficial temporal artery (STA) is a terminal branch of the external carotid artery. It supplies the regions of scalp and face. The morphometrical data concerning STAs are not consistent; therefore, in this systemic review and meta-analysis, we aimed in this to provide an up-to-date data on its anatomic features. Material and...

The anatomy of the human temporal bone is complex and, therefore, poses unique challenges for students. Furthermore, temporal bones are frequently damaged from handling in educational settings due to their inherent fragility. This report details the production of a durable physical replica of the adult human temporal bone, manufactured using 3D pri...

Background: The left atrial ridge is a structure located in the left atrium between the left-sided pulmonary veins ostia and the orifice of the left atrial appendage. Since it was commonly misdiagnosed as a thrombus, the ridge is also known as the "coumadin" or "warfarin" ridge. The left atrial ridge is a potential source of arrhythmias and can be...

Aims: The recently introduced technique of direct transseptal pacing of the left bundle branch is poorly characterized with many questions with regard to the optimal implantation strategy and safety concerns largely left unanswered. We developed a cadaver model for deep septal lead deployment in order to investigate the depth of penetration in rel...

Background: The purpose of this study was to provide detailed topography of the left atrial medial isthmus (situated between the right inferior pulmonary vein ostium and the medial part of the mitral annulus). Methods: Two hundred human hearts (Caucasian, 22.5% females, 48.7 ± 4.9 years old) were investigated. Results: The mean length of the m...

Background The forehead has substantial importance as an aesthetic unit. The central and supraorbital parts of this area are supplied by the supratrochlear (ST) and supraorbital (SO) arteries, as well as the recently defined paracentral (PA) and central arteries. Objectives This study aimed to assess the morphometry of the vessels of the forehead...

Background: The history of the cardiac anatomy dates back to 3500 B.C. when the Greeks and Egyptians based their understanding of this structure on their religious beliefs. During the 5th century, Hippocrates, the “Father of medicine,” established medicine as a science and highlighted the principles of medical knowledge, replacing these previous te...

The left atrial appendage (LAA) is a small, finger-like extension of the left atrium and its exclusion is used as a treatment strategy to prevent ischemic stroke. Existing holdfast devices may damage the tissue, are unisized and not adjustable. A novel holdfast device for LAA exclusion devoid of these shortcomings was designed and 3D-printed using...

Introduction To deliver accurate morphological descriptions of the Vieussens valve and to investigate whether this structure could be visualized using standard contrast‐enhanced electrocardiogram‐gated multislice computed tomography (MSCT). Methods A total of 145 human autopsied hearts and 114 cardiac MSCT scans were examined. Results The Vieusse...

Background Variations of the coronary sinus tributaries might result in difficulties in left ventricle electrode insertion during cardiac resynchronizing therapy. Morphometric features of tributaries, especially angulation of the coronary sinus tributaries, are crucial for coronary sinus procedures. Methods This study was carried out on 200 formal...

Background The transverse facial artery (TFA) perfuses the lateral face. Knowledge of topographical anatomy of the lateral face is crucial for safe procedural performance in aesthetic and plastic surgery, especially the face lift flap and face transplant. The aim of the present study was to assess detailed TFA morphometrical features. Patients and...

Background The facial artery is the main blood vessel supplying the anterior face and an understanding of its anatomy is crucial in facial reconstruction and aesthetic procedures. Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the many anatomical features of the facial artery using a multidimensional approach. Methods Head and neck computed tomog...

OBJECTIVES: The authors aimed to comprehensively detail the right atrioventricular valve functional leaflet anatomies. BACKGROUND: The rapid development of both surgical and percutaneous repair techniques for tricuspid regurgitation has renewed interest in variations in the morphology of the right atrioventricular valve. METHODS: The functioning ri...

Objectives: To evaluate the properties of natural sweetener solutions in whole organ preservation and assess their influence on the dimension, weight and shape of cardiac tissue samples in stated time intervals, up to a one-year period of observation. Background: Tissue fixation is essential for biological sample examination. Many negative toxic...

Smooth interatrial septum, patent foramen ovale (PFO) channel and atrial septal pouches (SPs) are commonly described variants in humans. Recent discoveries on the clinical significance of left-sided SP may encourage the creation of new strategies and devices for the management of SPs. However, these strategies may first be tested in the ovine model...

Background: Despite some evidence of left-sided septal pouch (LSSP) involvement in the pathogenesis of cardioembolic stroke, the question of LSSP clinical significance still remains unsolved. In this study, we aimed to determine the association between the LSSP presence and cryptogenic stroke using meta-analytical approach. Methods: We performed a...

Introduction: Bariatric surgery is associated with multiple endocrine and metabolic changes. Irisin and nesfatin-1 have recently been described as regulatory peptides involved in obesity-related insulin resistance. Our aim was to analyze the changes of those two molecules observed in patients after bariatric procedures. Materials and methods: This...

Background: The superficial temporal artery (STA) is a terminal branch of the external carotid artery, which supplies multiple regions of the scalp and face. Reconstructive and aesthetic procedures are important clinical aspects of STA supply. Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop an anatomical map of the STA related to anatomical landm...