3D CONTENT
3D HEART ANATOMY

CARDIAC VEINS

Author: Dr. Bogdan Leahu

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CARDIAC VEINS

  • Network of veins draining myocardium
  • Return deoxygenated blood to right atrium

Two Drainage Pathways

  • Via coronary sinus
  • Direct drainage into right atrium

CORONARY SINUS

Coronary sinus anatomy showing primary venous structure receiving tributaries and draining into right atrium
Coronary Sinus, Preview from the app. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Sourced from 3D HEART ANATOMY.
  • Primary venous structure of heart
  • Receives larger veins draining myocardium
  • Drains into right atrium

Location

  • Between left atrial wall and ventricular myocardium

Tributaries

  • Great cardiac vein
  • Middle cardiac vein
  • Small cardiac vein
  • Oblique vein of left atrium
  • Inferior vein of left ventricle

GREAT CARDIAC VEIN

Great cardiac vein anatomy coursing in left atrioventricular groove alongside left circumflex artery
Great Cardiac Vein, Preview from the app. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Sourced from 3D HEART ANATOMY.
  • Major cardiac vein
  • Courses within left atrioventricular groove
  • Runs alongside left circumflex artery

Drainage Territory

  • Left ventricular apex
  • Anterior interventricular septum
  • Anterior portions of both ventricles
  • Part of left atrium

ANTERIOR INTERVENTRICULAR VEIN

Anterior interventricular vein anatomy traveling in anterior interventricular groove with left anterior descending artery
Anterior Interventricular Vein, Preview from the app. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Sourced from 3D HEART ANATOMY.
  • Travels in anterior interventricular groove
  • Accompanies left anterior descending artery

Drainage Territory

  • Left ventricular apex
  • Anterior interventricular septum
  • Anterior portions of both ventricles

LEFT MARGINAL VEIN

Left marginal vein anatomy draining lateral and posterior wall of left ventricle
Left Marginal Vein, Preview from the app. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Sourced from 3D HEART ANATOMY.
  • Drains lateral wall of left ventricle
  • Drains posterior and inferior wall of left ventricle

INFERIOR VEIN OF LEFT VENTRICLE

Inferior vein of left ventricle anatomy draining inferior left ventricular wall
Inferior Vein of Left Ventricle, Preview from the app. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Sourced from 3D HEART ANATOMY.
  • Tributary draining inferior left ventricular wall
  • Usually joins great cardiac vein
  • May drain directly into coronary sinus

OBLIQUE VEIN OF LEFT ATRIUM

Oblique vein of left atrium anatomy collecting blood from inferior left atrial wall
Oblique Vein of Left Atrium, Preview from the app. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Sourced from 3D HEART ANATOMY.
  • Small vessel on left atrium
  • Collects blood from inferior left atrial wall
  • Typically merges with great cardiac vein
  • May drain directly into coronary sinus

MIDDLE CARDIAC VEIN

Middle cardiac vein anatomy ascending with posterior interventricular artery draining into coronary sinus
Middle Cardiac Vein, Preview from the app. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Sourced from 3D HEART ANATOMY.
  • Ascends with inferior interventricular artery
  • Drains into coronary sinus

SMALL CARDIAC VEIN

Small cardiac vein anatomy coursing alongside right coronary artery in right atrioventricular groove
Small Cardiac Vein, Preview from the app. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Sourced from 3D HEART ANATOMY.
  • Courses alongside right coronary artery
  • Located in right atrioventricular groove
  • Typically drains into coronary sinus

Drainage Territory

  • Inferior wall of right ventricle

RIGHT MARGINAL VEIN

Right marginal vein anatomy following lateral wall of right ventricle
Right Marginal Vein, Preview from the app. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Sourced from 3D HEART ANATOMY.
  • Courses alongside right marginal artery
  • Follows lateral wall of right ventricle

ANTERIOR CARDIAC VEINS

Anterior cardiac veins anatomy draining right ventricle directly into right atrium
Anterior Cardiac Veins, Preview from the app. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Sourced from 3D HEART ANATOMY.
  • Variable group of veins
  • Drain significant portion of right ventricle
  • Empty directly into right atrium
  • Enter above right atrioventricular groove
  • Do not drain through coronary sinus

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Drake RL, Vogl AW, Mitchell AWM. Gray's Anatomy for Students. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier; 2020. Chapter 3: Thorax.

2. Standring S, editor. Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. 42nd ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier; 2021. p. 996-1046.

3. Moore KL, Dalley AF, Agur AMR. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 8th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer; 2018. p. 127-162.

QUICK FACTS: CARDIAC VEINS

Key questions answered about this anatomy topic

Q: What is the primary function of cardiac veins?

Answer: Return deoxygenated blood to the right atrium. Cardiac veins form a network that drains deoxygenated blood from the myocardium and returns it to the right atrium.

Q: What are the two main drainage pathways for cardiac veins?

Answer: Via coronary sinus and direct drainage into right atrium. Cardiac veins drain through two pathways: via the coronary sinus or by direct drainage into the right atrium (as with the anterior cardiac veins).

Q: Where is the coronary sinus located?

Answer: Between the left atrial wall and ventricular myocardium. The coronary sinus is located between the left atrial wall and ventricular myocardium, in the posterior atrioventricular groove.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a tributary of the coronary sinus?

Answer: Anterior cardiac veins. Anterior cardiac veins drain directly into the right atrium and do NOT drain through the coronary sinus. The other options are all tributaries of the coronary sinus.

Q: Where does the great cardiac vein course?

Answer: Left atrioventricular groove. The great cardiac vein courses within the left atrioventricular groove, running alongside the left circumflex artery.

Want to test yourself? Try the interactive quiz above!

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