The coronary sulcus (also called coronary groove, auriculoventricular groove, atrioventricular groove, AV groove) is a
groove
Groove or Grooves may refer to:
Music
* Groove (music)
* Groove (drumming)
* The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s
* The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station
* Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station
...
on the surface of the
heart
The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ found in humans and other animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels. The heart and blood vessels together make the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrie ...
at the base of right auricle that separates the
atria from the
ventricles.
The structure contains the trunks of the
nutrient vessels of the heart,
and is deficient in front, where it is crossed by the root of the
pulmonary trunk
A pulmonary artery is an artery in the pulmonary circulation that carries deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. The largest pulmonary artery is the ''main pulmonary artery'' or ''pulmonary trunk'' from the heart, and t ...
. On the posterior surface of the heart, the coronary sulcus contains the
coronary sinus
The coronary sinus () is the largest vein of the heart. It drains over half of the deoxygenated blood from the heart muscle into the right atrium. It begins on the backside of the heart, in between the left atrium, and left ventricle; it begi ...
. The
right coronary artery
In the coronary circulation, blood supply of the heart, the right coronary artery (RCA) is an artery originating above the right cusp of the aortic valve, at the Aortic sinus, right aortic sinus in the heart. It travels down the right coronary su ...
,
circumflex branch of left coronary artery
The circumflex branch of left coronary artery (also known as the left circumflex artery or circumflex artery) is a branch of the left coronary artery. It winds around the left side of the heart along the atrioventricular groove (coronary sulc ...
, and
small cardiac vein The small cardiac vein, also known as the right coronary vein, is a coronary vein that drains parts of the right atrium and right ventricle of the heart. Despite its size, it is one of the major drainage vessels for the heart.
Anatomy
Course
...
all travel along parts of the coronary sulcus.
Structure
In relation to the
rib cage
The rib cage or thoracic cage is an endoskeletal enclosure in the thorax of most vertebrates that comprises the ribs, vertebral column and sternum, which protect the vital organs of the thoracic cavity, such as the heart, lungs and great ve ...
, the coronary sulcus spans from the medial side of the 3rd left
costal cartilage
Costal cartilage, also known as rib cartilage, are bars of hyaline cartilage that serve to prolong the ribs forward and contribute to the elasticity of the walls of the thorax. Costal cartilage is only found at the anterior ends of the ribs, pr ...
, to the middle of the right 6th costal cartilage.
Epicardial
The pericardium (: pericardia), also called pericardial sac, is a double-walled sac containing the heart and the roots of the great vessels. It has two layers, an outer layer made of strong inelastic connective tissue (fibrous pericardium), a ...
fat
In nutrition science, nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such chemical compound, compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food.
The term often refers specif ...
tends to be concentrated along the coronary sulcus.
There are two coronary sulci in the heart, including left and right coronary sulci.
Left coronary sulcus
The left coronary sulcus originates posterior to the
pulmonary trunk
A pulmonary artery is an artery in the pulmonary circulation that carries deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. The largest pulmonary artery is the ''main pulmonary artery'' or ''pulmonary trunk'' from the heart, and t ...
, and travels inferiorly separating the left atrium and left ventricle. The location of the left coronary sulcus is marked by the
circumflex branch of left coronary artery
The circumflex branch of left coronary artery (also known as the left circumflex artery or circumflex artery) is a branch of the left coronary artery. It winds around the left side of the heart along the atrioventricular groove (coronary sulc ...
, and
coronary sinus
The coronary sinus () is the largest vein of the heart. It drains over half of the deoxygenated blood from the heart muscle into the right atrium. It begins on the backside of the heart, in between the left atrium, and left ventricle; it begi ...
.
Right coronary sulcus
The right coronary sulcus begins anteriorly and superiorly on the sternocostal surface of the heart. Its position is marked by the location of the
right coronary artery
In the coronary circulation, blood supply of the heart, the right coronary artery (RCA) is an artery originating above the right cusp of the aortic valve, at the Aortic sinus, right aortic sinus in the heart. It travels down the right coronary su ...
, and
small cardiac vein The small cardiac vein, also known as the right coronary vein, is a coronary vein that drains parts of the right atrium and right ventricle of the heart. Despite its size, it is one of the major drainage vessels for the heart.
Anatomy
Course
...
. The right coronary sulcus separates the right
atrium and its
atrial appendage from the right
ventricle inferiorly. The right coronary sulcus then passes inferiorly onto the diaphragmatic surface of the heart and traverses to the left.
Clinical significance
The left coronary sulcus is often neglected in echocardiography. As a result, normal variations and rare pathologic findings can be missed.
See also
*
Posterior interventricular sulcus
The posterior interventricular sulcus or posterior longitudinal sulcus is one of the two grooves separating the ventricles of the heart (the other being the anterior interventricular sulcus). They can be known as subsinosal interventricular groo ...
*
Anterior interventricular sulcus
References
External links
*
Diagram
Cardiac anatomy
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