INTRODUCTION: Internal thoracic artery (ITA) is an established arterial graft for the coronary artery by-pass surgery. Special micro-anatomical features of the ITA wall may protect it from age related pathological changes. One of the complications seen after coronary artery bypass grafting is @entity2553 . Sympathetic nerves may be involved in @entity2553 . OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the sympathetic innervation of the internal thoracic artery and to assess the effect of aging on this artery by histomorphometry. METHOD: Fifty-four @entity1 internal thoracic artery samples were collected from 27 cadavers (19 male and 8 female) with ages of 19 to 83 years. Samples were divided into three age groups: G1, 19-40 years; G2, 41-60 years; G3, >61 years. Sections (thickness 5 mm) of each sample were taken and stained with @entity1710 - @entity1711 and Verhoeff-Van Gieson stains. Five of fifty-four samples were processed for @entity669 hydroxylase immunostaining. RESULTS: The thickness of the tunica intima was found to be constant in all age groups, whereas the thickness of the tunica media decreased in proportion to age. Verhoeff-Van Gieson staining showed numerous elastic laminae in the tunica media. Significant differences (p < 0.0001) in the number of elastic laminae were found between G1 with G2 cadavers, between G2 and G3 cadavers and between G3 and G1 cadavers. @entity669 hydroxylase immunostaining demonstrated sympathetic fibers, located mainly in the tunica adventitia and the adventitia-media border. The sympathetic nerve fiber area and sympathetic index were found to be 0.0016 mm   and 0.012, respectively. DISCUSSION: Histology of the ITA showed features of the elastic artery. This may be associated with lower incidence of @entity731 or intimal @entity1373 in ITA samples even in elderly cases. Low sympathetic index (0.012) of ITA may be associated with fewer incidences of @entity4148 ( @entity2553 ) of the ITA. CONCLUSION: Sympathetic nerve fibers are present in the adventitia of the internal thoracic artery. This is an elastic artery, although anatomically it is considered to be medium-sized. The sympathetic index may be used for analysis of sympathetic nerve fiber-related problems of the internal thoracic artery.

Histomorphometric and sympathetic innervation of the XXXX internal thoracic artery.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['human'] @entity731 :: ('MESH:D050197', 'Disease') :: ['Atherosclerosis'] @entity1711 :: ('MESH:D004801', 'Chemical') :: ['eosin'] @entity1373 :: ('MESH:D006965', 'Disease') :: ['hyperplasia'] @entity1710 :: ('MESH:D006416', 'Chemical') :: ['hematoxylin'] @entity4148 :: ('MESH:D001342', 'Disease') :: ['sympathetic nervous systems problems'] @entity2553 :: ('MESH:D020301', 'Disease') :: ['vasospasm'] @entity669 :: ('CHEBI:18186', 'Chemical') :: ['Tyrosine', 'tyrosine']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['human']
