Heart - LO 9

9. Describe the venous drainage of the heart.

Coronary sinus: located in the coronary sulcus and most veins of the heart drain here

• Tributaries include:

  • Great cardiac v.: typically the largest tributary of the coronary sinus

    • Travels next to the anterior IV a. in the anterior IV sulcus

    • Part of the vein travels in the coronary sulcus with the circumflex br. of the LCA to eventually drain into the coronary sinus

  • Middle cardiac v.: travels within the posterior IV sulcus with the posterior IV br. of the RCA to drain into the coronary sinus

  • Small cardiac v.: typically visible near the inferior border of the heart, near the R. marginal br. of the RCA

Anterior cardiac vv.: unique among cardiac vv. in that they typically drain directly into the R. atrium, rather than into the coronary sinus

• Travel superficially over the RCA from the R. ventricle to the R. atrium