What are the blood vessels that collect venous drainage from the heart called?

The heart is the hardest working muscle in the human body. Located almost in the center of the chest, a healthy adult heart is the size of a clenched adult fist. By age 70, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times. The heart is always working. It pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood daily.

A child's heart works just as hard as an adult's heart. In fact, at rest, a baby's heart may beat up to 130 to 150 times a minute. An adult's heart often beats between 60 and 100 times a minute. The rate at which the heart pumps gradually slows down from birth to teen years.

The cardiovascular system is made up of the heart and blood vessels. It circulates blood throughout the body. A healthy cardiovascular system is vital to supplying the body with oxygen and nutrients.

How the heart works

The heart is a large, muscular organ that pumps blood filled with oxygen and nutrients through the blood vessels to the body tissues. It's made up of:

• 4 chambers. The 2 upper chambers are the atria. They receive and collect blood. The 2 lower chambers are the ventricles. They pump blood to other parts of your body. Here is the process: 

  • The right atrium receives blood from the body. This blood is low in oxygen. This is the blood from the veins.

  • The right ventricle pumps the blood from the right atrium into the lungs to pick up oxygen and remove carbon dioxide. 

  • The left atrium receives blood from the lungs. This blood is rich in oxygen.

  • The left ventricle pumps the blood from the left atrium out to the body, supplying all organs with oxygen-rich blood.

• 4 valves. The 4 valves are the aortic, pulmonary, mitral, and tricuspid valves. They let blood flow forward and prevent the backward flow.

• Blood vessels. These bring blood to the lungs, where oxygen enters the bloodstream, and then to the body:

  • The inferior and superior vena cava bring oxygen-poor blood from the body into the right atrium.

  • The pulmonary artery channels oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle into the lungs, where oxygen enters the bloodstream.

    Review cardiac (coronary) veins to assist in enhancing the clinical knowledge on the anatomy of the coronary veins.

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    Embryological development of cardiac veins .

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    Variations of coronary veins .

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    Clinical applications of the coronary veins .

    Abstract

    Background

    The detailed investigations of the coronary arteries overshadow the anatomy and clinical relevance of the coronary venous tree. Many recent advances in diagnostic and therapeutic interventional cardiac procedures now involve manipulations of the coronary veins.

    Purpose

    The aim of this paper is to provide a review of the coronary venous tree to assist in enhancing the clinical knowledge on the anatomy of the coronary veins.

    Methods

    A literature search was conducted using google scholar, and pubmed NCBI data basem in search of peer-reviewed literature with keyword search including history of cardiac veins, coronary vein anatomy, and cardiac veins.

    Conclusion

    Cardiac procedures such as ablations and retrograde cardioplegia depends on the ability to of the clinician to accurately identify critical cardiac venous structures from imaging studies and while during procedures. These advances demand that clinicians have a deeper understanding of the coronary venous tree as it relates to their anatomy and variants.

    In anatomy, the coronary sinus (from Latin corona 'crown') is a collection of veins joined together to form a large vessel that collects blood from the heart muscle (myocardium). It delivers deoxygenated blood to the right atrium, as do the superior and inferior venae cavae. It is present in all mammals, including humans.

    The coronary sinus drains into the right atrium, at the coronary sinus orifice, an opening between the inferior vena cava and the right atrioventricular orifice or tricuspid valve. It returns blood from the heart muscle, and is protected by a semicircular fold of the lining membrane of the auricle, the valve of coronary sinus (or valve of Thebesius). The sinus, before entering the atrium, is considerably dilated - nearly to the size of the end of the little finger. Its wall is partly muscular, and at its junction with the great cardiac vein is somewhat constricted and furnished with a valve, known as the valve of Vieussens consisting of two unequal segments.

    Structure[edit]

    The coronary sinus starts at the junction of the great cardiac vein and the oblique vein of the left atrium. The junction of the great cardiac vein and the coronary sinus is marked by the Vieussens valve. It is present in 65% to 87% of the population. The coronary sinus runs transversely in the left atrioventricular groove on the posterior aspect of the heart. The coronary sinus then drains into the posterior wall of right atrium. The orifice of the coronary sinus is located to the left of the orifice of inferior vena cava in the right atrium.

    The valve of the coronary sinus (also known as "Thebesian valve" is a thin, semilunar (half moon shape) valve located on the anteroinferior part of the opening into the right atrium. It is present in 73% to 86% of autopsied heart.

    Function[edit]

    The coronary sinus receives blood mainly from the small, middle, great and oblique cardiac veins. It also receives blood from the left marginal vein and the left posterior ventricular vein. It drains into the right atrium.

    The anterior cardiac veins do not drain into the coronary sinus but drain directly into the right atrium. Some small veins known as Thebesian veins drain directly into any of the four chambers of the heart.

    Clinical significance[edit]

    Electrodes can be inserted into and through the coronary sinus to study the electrophysiology of the heart. This includes for a coronary sinus electrogram. The coronary sinus connects directly with the right atrium. It will dilate as a result of any condition that causes elevated right atrial pressure, such as pulmonary hypertension. Dilated coronary sinus is also seen in some congenital cardiovascular conditions, such as persistent left supervisor cava, and total anomalous pulmonary venous return.

    Which vein collects venous drainage?

    The great cardiac vein emerges at the apex of the heart from the small venules that collect the venous blood of this cardiac region. It ascends along the anterior surface of the heart, passing through the anterior interventricular groove accompanied by the anterior interventricular artery.

    What vessels drain blood from the heart?

    Coronary veins are responsible for draining deoxygenated blood from the myocardium into the cardiac chambers. Comprised of two venous systems, coronary veins classify into either the greater cardiac venous system or the smaller cardiac venous system.

    How does venous blood drain from the heart?

    The great cardiac vein, the middle cardiac vein, and the small cardiac vein all drain into the coronary sinus (which opens into the right atrium). The anterior cardiac veins drain directly into the right atrium.

    What blood vessels supply and drain the heart muscle?

    Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle. Like all other tissues in the body, the heart muscle needs oxygen-rich blood to function. Also, oxygen-depleted blood must be carried away. The coronary arteries wrap around the outside of the heart.