CARDIAC VEINS 



711 



1. The great cardiac or left coronary vein (v. cordis magna) begins at the apex 

 of the heart and ascends along the anterior interventricular groove to the base 

 of the ventricles. It then curves to tho left in the auriculoventricular groove 

 to the back of the heart, and opens into the left extremity of the coronary sinus. 

 It receives tributaries from the left auricle, and from both ventricles; one of these, 

 the left marginal vein, is of considerable size, and ascends along the left margin 

 of the heart. 



2. The small cardiac or right coronary vein (v. cordis parva) runs in the groove 

 between the right auricle and ventricle, and opens into the right extremity of the 

 coronary sinus. It receives blood from the back of the right auricle and ventricle; 

 its largest tributary, the right marginal vein, ascends along the right margin of 

 the heart and joins it in the auriculoventricular groove. 



3. The middle cardiac vein (v. cordis media) commences at the apex of the heart, 

 ascends in the posterior interventricular groove, and ends in the coronary sinus 

 near its right extremity. 



PULMONARY 



VEINS 



LEFT AURICULAR 



APPENDIX 



RIGHT CORONARY ARTERY 

 AURICULOVENTRICULAR 

 GROOVE 



CORONARY.... 

 SINUS 



LEFT 

 VENTRICLE' 



VENA AZYGOS 



MAJOR 



...PULMONARY 



VEINS 

 LEFT 



AURICLE 



RIGHT 



'AURICLE 



POSTERIOR CARDIAC' 

 VEIN 



POSTERIOR 

 INTERVENTRIC 

 ULAR GROOVE 



'RIQHT 

 VENTRICLE 



RIGHT CORONARY 

 ARTERY DESCEND- 

 ING BRANCH 



FIG. 494. Cardiac vein", dorsal view. (Testut.) 



4. The posterior vein of the left ventricle (v. posterior ventriculi sinistri) ascends 

 on the back of the left ventricle to the coronary sinus, but may end in the great 

 cardiac vein. 



5. The oblique vein of Marshall (v. obliqua atrii sinistri) is a small vessel which 

 descends obliquely on the back of the left auricle and ends in the coronary 

 sinus near its right extremity; it is continuous above with the vestigial fold of 

 Marshall, and the two structures form the remnant of the left Cuvierian duct. 



The following cardiac veins do not terminate in the coronary sinus: (1) The 

 anterior cardiac veins (vv. cordis anteriores}, comprising three or four small vessels 

 which collect blood from the front of the right ventricle and open into the right 

 auricle. The right marginal vein frequently opens into the right auricle, ajid is 

 therefore sometimes regarded as belonging to this group. (2) The veins of 

 Thebesius (vv. cordis minimae}, consisting of a number of minute veins which arise 

 in the muscular wall of the heart ; the majority open into the auricles, but a few 

 empty their blood into the ventricles. 



