3. Introduction
• Coronary arteries
• Vasa vasora arising from aortic sinuses of ascending
aorta
• Right - Right aortic sinus (right ant)
• Left – Left aortic sinus (left post)
• Post Aortic sinus - non coronary (Torus aorticus)
• Max filling of sinuses - in diastole
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10. Rt Coronary Artery
Passes to rt & forwards
b/w infundibulum of rt
ven & rt auricle
Runs downwards in ant
AV groove
Reaches inf margin of
heart; winds around it to
the diaph surface; runs in
post AV groove
Ends by anastomosing
with circumflex br of LCA
-60%
Conus brs
Ventricular brs
AV nodal br
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11. Branches of Rt coronary Artery
Rt conus artery-
Annulus of Vieussens
SA Nodal br – 60%
Ant atrial branches
Ant ventr branches
Rt Marginal artery:
(Largest br)
Post ventr branches
Post IV br arises near
CRUX – 70% br of RCA
Post atrial branches
AV Nodal artery – 80%
Conus brs
Ventricular brs
AV nodal br
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13. Lt Coronary Artery
Origin: Lt Aortic
sinus
Passes behind
infundibulum of Rt
ventricle
Length: 0 to 10mm
Bifurcates into Ant
IV branch (LAD) &
Circumflex artery
Conus brs
Ventricular brs
AV nodal br
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14. LAD (Ant IV) artery
Continuation of
LCA
Extends beyond the
apex, ends by
anastamosing with
post IV artery (br of
RCA)
Branches:
Ant ventr brs:
i. Diagonal arteries
ii. Lt Conus artery
Septal branches
Conus brs
Ventricular brs
AV nodal br
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15. Circumflex artery
Runs in Ant AV groove and post AV groove
Terminates by anastamosing with RCA near crux
Branches:
i. Atrial brs
ii. Ventr branches
iii. SA nodal
(40% cases)
iv. Lt Marginal
v. Post IV br
(only 10% cases)
vi. Kugel’s artery
vii.AV nodal br
(10-20%)
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17. Coronary dominance
CA that gives post IV branch is supposed to be
dominant
Misleading term as LCA supplies greater part of
myocardium, but in 70% cases post IV is a br of RCA (Rt
coronary dominance)
3 types – Rt (70%), Lt (20%) & Balanced (10%)
Clinical importance:
In Lt dominance a block in LCA affect entire Lt ventricle and IV
septum, while in Rt or balanced dominance a block in RCA at
least spares part (2/3) of septum and lt ventricle
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18. Summary:
RCA:
• Rt atrium
• Lt atrium (ant part)
• Rt ventr except a small strip along the Ant IV groove
• Diaphragmatic surface of Rt ventricle
• Post 1/3 of IV septum
• SA Node and AV Node in majority
• Most conducting system of heart except Lt branch of
Bundle of His
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19. LCA:
• Post part of Lt Atrium
• Ant and Lat walls of Lt ventricle
• Ant 2/3 of IV septum
• Lt br of Bundle of His
• SA & AV Nodes in 30% cases
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21. Coronary Anastomosis
-Anatomically CA are not end arteries but functionally
they behave like end arteries.
-Anastomosis occur at:
• superficial
• subepicardial
• Myocardial
• subendocardial levels
Important sites:
i) b/w terminations of RCA & LCA near crux of heart
ii) b/w their IV brs (in septum)
iii) b/w conus As
iv) apex
Prognosis better in slow occlusion
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22. Variations
Congenital anomalies
- LCA arising from Pul trunk; cyanosis occurs
- LCA arises from right aortic sinus; may get compressed b/w
Pul trunk & aorta in strenuous exercise; may cause sudden
cardiac death
- Post IV A arising from Cx A (left dominance)
- SA nodal A in 40% from Cx A; AV nodal A in 20% from Cx A
- LCA arising from Ant or post aortic sinus
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23. Post IV A arising from Circumflex br of LCA
Post IV Artery
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27. Coronary Sinus
Heart is drained by CS - empties into Rt Atrium.
Two set of veins empty directly into Rt Atrium
Venae cordis minimi
Ant cardiac vein,
s/t Rt marginal vein also
CS - dilatation of Great Cardiac Vein located in post part of AV
groove
Opens into Rt atrium b/w IVC and Tricuspid opening guarded
by incomplete semicircular “Thebasian valve”
Tributaries- all have valves except oblique V of lt atrium
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28. Tributaries of Coronary sinus:
1. Great Cardiac vein
• Begins near apex of
heart; acc. Ant IV A &
more proximally cx
artery
• Terminates at lt end of
coronary sinus
2. Middle cardiac vein
• Accompanies Post IV
artery and opens at
termination of coronary
sinus
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29. 3. Small Cardiac vein
• Accompanies rt marginal artery
• Runs in AV groove to end into rt end of CS
• May open directly into rt atrium
4. Oblique Vein of Lt Atrium (of Marshall)
• Runs in the post surface of Lt Atrium and drains into Lt end of Coronary sinus
5. Post Vein of Lt Ventricle
• Runs on diaphragmatic surface of Lt ventricle and ends in middle of coronary
sinus
6. Rt Marginal vein
• Accompanies Rt Marginal artery and drains into Small Cardiac vein or directly
into the Rt Atrium 33
31. Veins directly emptying into Rt Atrium
1. Ant Cardiac Veins:
• 3-4 in no .drains the infundibulum of Rt ventricle
• opens into Rt Atrium through its Ant wall
2. Venae Cordis Minimi/ Thebasian veins
• Numerous small veins opening into the Post wall of
Rt Atrium
3. Small cardiac vein – may open directly into Rt atrium
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