Great cardiac vein
Blood vessel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The great cardiac vein (left coronary vein) is a vein of the heart. It begins at the apex of the heart and ascends along the anterior interventricular sulcus[1] before joining the oblique vein of the left atrium to form the coronary sinus[2] upon the posterior surface of the heart.
| Great cardiac vein | |
|---|---|
Base and diaphragmatic surface of heart. (Great cardiac vein labeled at center left.) | |
 Pulmonary vessels, seen in a dorsal view of the heart and lungs. The lungs have been pulled away from the median line, and a part of the right lung has been cut away to display the air-ducts and bloodvessels (great coronary vein labeled at center bottom). | |
| Details | |
| Drains to | Coronary sinus |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | vena cordis magna, vena cardiaca magna |
| TA98 | A12.3.01.003 |
| TA2 | 4159 |
| FMA | 4707 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Anatomy
Course
The great cardiac vein ascends along the anterior interventricular sulcus[1] to the base of the ventricles.[citation needed] It then curves around the left margin of the heart to reach the posterior surface.[2]
Fate
Upon reaching the posterior surface of the heart,[3] the great cardiac vein merges with the oblique vein of the left atrium to form the coronary sinus.[2][3] At the junction of the great cardiac vein and the coronary sinus, there is typically a valve present. This is the Vieussens valve of the coronary sinus.[2]
Tributaries
The great cardiac vein receives tributaries from the left atrium and from both ventricles: one, the left marginal vein, is of considerable size, and ascends along the left margin of the heart.[citation needed]
