The Spiral Theme
The spiral theme is also apparent in the heart and vessel form and function. The
musculature of the heart and arteries all the way down to the pre-capillaries is spirally
oriented, and both the heart and arteries move spirally to augment the momenta of the
blood 2,(18), 19. The literature on anatomical and physiological considerations of the twisting
motion of the heart and vessels is comprehensive and has recently been reviewed 2. The
fact that arterial endothelial cell orientation closely follows the blood flow patterns is well
established 18, (19).

In a group of patients undergoing reconstructive vascular surgery of the lower extremities,
Stonebridge and Brophy observed by direct angioscopic examination that the inner surface
of arteries was organized in a series of spiral folds that sometimes protruded into the
lumina. They commented that the folds occur as a result of spiral blood flow, which may be
more efficient, requiring less energy to drive the blood through tapering and branching
arterial system 19. They also observed the vortexing blood with fiber optics in the region of
the endoluminal folds. In relation to this, enthusiasts know that rifled gun barrels forcing
spin on the bullet make it more stable in flight and therefore more accurate in reaching its
target. In the vessels the blood "grooves" its own conduits for the purpose of enhancing its
torsional impulse. However, these spiral folds are not found in excised arteries; they are
dynamics of living tissue.

Physiological Conclusions
The autonomic vortex movement of the blood discussed herein is inherent to the blood
motion. It is not an accidental local disturbance often explained as turbulence or eddy
currents, nor a localized phenomena with a single functional purpose as in heart valve
dynamics. From a broader view it is to be expected that blood should so move, considering
that fluids in nature tend to move curvilinearly, which is their path of least energy. The
extreme expression of this tendency in nature, in terms of order, stability and minimal
expenditure of energy are tornados and "jet" streams.

Potential Clinical Consequences
These observations should foster an accelerated understanding of the cardiovascular system
through a re-examination of the vast amount of valuable experimental data gathered
worldwide. Since we have observed that the blood has a highly ordered dynamic form and
an ordered blood corpuscle motion, and orientation, we should be able to develop devices
and techniques to detect small deviations from group and individual norms and thus form a
basis for very early diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, which remains the number one
cause of death in the U.S. Novel, more effective therapies for cardiovascular disease
hopefully will also evolve from this new perspective on cardiovascular physiology.
End notes

* The Bourdon tube gage is named after its inventor, Bourdon. Its pressure sensitive
element consists of a circularly bent tube that is flattened to increase its sensitivity to
pressure. When the tube is subjected to an internal positive pressure it tends to straighten;
when subjected to an internal negative pressure its radius of curvature is increased. The
deformation of the tube is proportional to the pressure and is transmitted via links and
gears to motions that turn a pointer on a scale calibrated to indicate pressure.

Acknowledgments
We thank Larry W. Stephenson, M.D., Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Wayne State
University School of Medicine, and Beverly Rubik, Ph.D., for their comments on this work.
References
1. Borelli, De Motu Animalium. Rome, 1681.
2. Marinelli, R., Penney, D.G., et al. 1991. Rotary motion in the heart and blood vessels: a
review. Journal of Applied Cardiology 6: 421-431.
3. Berne, R., Levy, M., 1986. Cardiovascular Physiology. St. Louis, MO: C.V. Mossy Co., p.
105.
4. Rushmer, R.F., D.K. Crystal. 1951. Changes in configuration of the ventricular chambers
during cardiac cycle. Circulation 4: 211-218.
5. Steiner, R., 1990. Psychoanalysis and Spiritual Psychology. Hudson, NY: Anthroposophic
Press, p. 126.
6. Steiner, R., 1920. Spiritual Science and Medicine. London, England: Rudolf Steiner Press,
24-25.
7. McDonald, D.,1952. The velocity of blood flow in the rabbit aorta studied with high speed
cinematography. Journal of Physiology 118: 328-329.
8. Noble, M.I., 1968. The contribution of blood momentum to left ventricular ejection in
dog. Circulation Res. 26: 663-670.
9. Bremer, J. 1932. Presence and influence of spiral streams in the heart of the chick
embryo. American Journal of Anatomy, 49: 409-440.
10. Manteuffel-Szoege, L., 1969. Remarks on blood flow. J. of Cardiovasc. Surg. 10: 22-30.
11. Pomerance, A., Davies, M. 1975. Pathology of the Heart London, England: Blackwell
Scientific Publications, pp. 538-39.
12. Taylor, D.E.M., J.D. Wade. 1973. Pattern of blood flow in the heart. Cardiovascular
Research 7:14-21.
13. Kilner P.J., Z. Y. Guang, et al. 1993. Helical and retrograde secondary flow patterns in
the aortic arch studied by three-directional magnetic velocity mapping. Circulation 88:
2235-2247.
14. Arbulu, A., I. Asfaw. 1981. Tricuspid valvulectomy without prosthetic replacement. J.
Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 82: 684-691.
15. Werner, J.A., H.L. Greene, et al. 1981. Visualization of cardiac valve motion in man
during external chest compression using two dimensional echocardiography. Circulation 63:
1417-1421.
16. Irisawa, H., M. F., Wilson, R.F. Rushmer. 1960. Left ventricle as mixing chamber.
Circulation Research 8:183-87.
17. Brecher,G.A. 1956. Experimental evidence of ventricular diastolic suction. Circulation
Research 4:513-18.
18. Lowell, L.B., L.S. Adamson. 1980. Relationship between blood flow direction and
endothelial cell orientation at arterial branch sites in rabbits and mice. Circ. Res. 48: 481-
488.
19. Stonebridge, P.A., C. M. Brophy. 1991. Spiral flow in arteries? The Lancet 338:1360-61.