Anatomy · Thorax

Coronary circulation: arteries, veins and clinical significance

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  • Coronary circulation: arterial supply of the heart via the right and left coronary arteries, branches of the ascending aorta; venous return chiefly via the coronary sinus.

arterial supply of the heart Arterial supply of the heart.

Right Coronary Artery

  • Right coronary artery: from the anterior aortic sinus, above the aortic valve; runs in the right AV groove, anastomosing with the left coronary artery.
  • Course:
    1. initially passes between the pulmonary trunk and the right auricle
    2. descends into the right anterior coronary sulcus
    3. terminal course lies in the right posterior coronary sulcus
    4. ends in the posterior interventricular groove
  • Branches: right conus artery, atrial branches (sinuatrial nodal artery), anterior and posterior ventricular branches, posterior interventricular artery.

Distribution of the right coronary artery branches