The length of the aorta from the subclavian artery to the renal artery based on computed tomographic measurements in Japanese adults.

To estimate the length of the aorta from the subclavian artery to the renal artery in Japanese adults, its length was measured on computed tomographic (CT) images. Data from a total of 110 patients without aortic or aortic valvular diseases (54 men, 56 women) who had undergone 7-mm-slice-interval CT examination of the entire aorta was analyzed in this study. The length of the aorta was found to be 214.1 +/- 20.7 mm and showed a positive correlation with height (r = 0.664). Especially, the length of the aorta in male patients was correlated with body mass, i.e., height, weight, and body surface area. From these results, it appears that the majority of commercially available intra-aortic balloon catheters are too long for use in the Japanese population. It is concluded that a shorter, more suitable catheter should be made available for safe use in Japanese patients.