3D CONTENT
3D HEART ANATOMY

CARDIAC VEINS

Author: Dr. Bogdan Leahu
← Left Coronary Artery
Cardiac veins anatomy 360-degree interactive viewer showing coronary sinus, great cardiac vein, middle cardiac vein draining the heart muscle
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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 - Sourced from the app 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 - Sourced from the app 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 - Sourced from the app 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 - Sourced from the app 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 - Sourced from the app 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 - Sourced from the app 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 - Sourced from the app 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 - Sourced from the app 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 - Sourced from the app 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 - Sourced from the app 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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