Key result
Fetal heart auricles exhibit similar wall thickness bilaterally despite distinct triangular versus cauliflower shapes.
Why the study?
The specific features of the shape and wall structure of the right and left auricles in the normal human fetal heart at 17–36 weeks of development needed to be established.
Observational (n=93)
Provides baseline macro-microscopic anatomical data demonstrating marked polymorphism and dimensional variability of normal human fetal heart auricles at 17–36 weeks of gestation.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Descriptive fetal auricle data; extends developmental anatomy but leaves open clinical relevance.
The aim of the study was to establish the specific features of the shape and wall structure of the right and left auricles of the normal human fetal heart at 17–36 weeks of development. Material and methods . The material comprised 93 heart specimens. Using a stereomicroscope, the shape and dimensions of the right auricle (RA) and the left auricle (LA) were assessed in 75 specimens. The wall structure of the auricles was studied on histotopograms of 14 atria and by scanning electron microscopy of 4 specimens. Results . The right auricle (RA) was typically triangular (64%) or quadrangular (28%) in shape. The left auricle (LA) was typically cauliflower-shaped (62%) or chicken-wing-shaped (33.8%), with the arrowhead shape being rare (4.2%). According to the classification of S.S. Mikhailov (1987), lobed LAs (39.4%) and cockscomb-shaped auricles (49.3%) predominated, while vermiform auricles were rare (11%). The length of the RA was 5.8 [4.9; 7.3] mm and its width was 8.6 [7.0; 11.1] mm; the length of the LA was 7.3 [5.8; 8.9] mm and its width was 6.9 [5.7; 8.1] mm. The wall thickness of the RA was 560 [510; 770] µm and that of the LA was 560 [490; 630] µm (p = 0.807). In the RA, the endocardium accounted for 5.36% and the epicardium for 12.5% of the wall thickness; in the LA, these values were 6.25% and 9.82%, respectively. Strong correlations were found between auricular dimensions and heart dimensions, and noticeable to moderate correlations were found between the length and width of the RA, and between the epicardial and endocardial thickness in both auricles. Conclusion . The auricles of the human fetal heart are characterized by individual variability in structure, which is manifested by a wide range of auricu- lar dimensions, pronounced polymorphism, and specific features of the wall structure. Unlike the right auricle, the left auricle is characterized by wider pectinate muscles, polymorphism, and a lobular structure.
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Bidanets et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Normal human fetal hearts (n=93). Macro-microscopic anatomical assessment (stereomicroscopy, histotopograms, scanning electron microscopy) vs. Right auricle vs. Left auricle was evaluated on Shape, dimensions, and wall thickness of the right and left auricles (p=0.807). Human fetal heart auricles at 17-36 weeks showed similar median wall thickness between right (560 µm) and left (560 µm; p=0.807) auricles, with triangular (64%) right and cauliflower (62%) left shapes.
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