[Constitutional and age-related properties of the aortic isthmus].

By means of micro- and macropreparation and morphometry methods in 200 corpses of children and adult persons, it has been stated that skeletotopy and syntopy of the aortal isthmus depends on the constitution of the person. Certain objective criteria have been elaborated for surgical approaches to the aortal isthmus. In little children, during early and first childhood, anterolateral thoracotomy should be performed in the III intercostal space; in persons with brachymorphose type of constitution--left-sided thoracotomy in the IV intercostal space; in persons with transitional and long-narrow thorax--left-sided thoracotomy in the V intercostal space with resection of the V rib.