Blood Supply and Innervation of the Heart

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards detailing the arterial blood supply, venous drainage, lymphatic pathways, and intrinsic and extrinsic innervation of the human heart based on anatomical lecture notes.

Left coronary artery

An artery arising from the anterolateral aspect of the ascending aorta above the left anterolateral cusp at the sinus of Valsalva, featuring an initial trunk of $3\text{ to }4\,cm$ that bifurcates into the anterior interventricular artery and circumflex artery.

Vieussens’ adipose artery

A collateral arterial vessel arising from the coronary trunk that supplies the walls of the aorta and the pulmonary artery.

Anterior interventricular artery

A terminal branch of the left coronary artery running in the anterior interventricular sulcus around the right edge of the heart medial to the apex, terminating in the posterior interventricular sulcus and giving off parietal and septal branches.

Left infundibular artery

The first parietal branch of the anterior interventricular artery supplying the right ventricle, which anastomoses with its right counterpart.

Septal branches of the anterior interventricular artery

Arterial branches penetrating the interventricular septum to supply its anterior two-thirds, which serve as clear markers on coronary angiography to identify the anterior interventricular artery.

Circumflex artery

Also known as the atrioventricular artery, a terminal branch of the left coronary artery that courses leftward in the atrioventricular sulcus, crosses the left cardiac margin, and gives off atrial and descending ventricular branches.

Right coronary artery

An artery arising from the right side of the ascending aorta above the right anterolateral cusp at the sinus of Valsalva, coursing in three segments to form a regular C-shaped appearance before continuing as the posterior interventricular artery.

Right marginal atrial artery

The most important of the three atrial branches arising from the right coronary artery to supply the right atrium; also termed the sinoatrial node artery.

Posterior septal arteries

Arteries arising from the posterior interventricular artery (branch of the right coronary artery) that supply the posterior-inferior third of the interventricular septum.

Left retroventricular artery

An arterial branch originating from the right coronary artery that runs through the left side of the atrioventricular sulcus.

Coronary arterial anastomoses

Intracoronary, intercoronary, and extracoronary anatomical connections that are functionally non-significant in a healthy heart, meaning acute occlusion results in myocardial infarction.

Ventricular vascular territories (horizontal section)

A transverse cross-section of the ventricular walls and septum showing: 1- Left ventricle, 2- Anterior wall of the left ventricle, 3- Interventricular septum, 4- Anterior wall of the right ventricle, 5- Right ventricle, 6- Posterior wall of the right ventricle, and 7- Posterior wall of the left ventricle.

Coronary sinus

A dilated, ampullary venous segment measuring $3\,cm$ long and $1\,cm$ wide located in the terminal part of the left atrioventricular sulcus that drains into the inferior aspect of the right atrium.

Vieussens’ valve

The venous valve located at the junction where the great coronary vein terminates and opens into the coronary sinus.

Thébésius valve

The valve guarding the terminal orifice of the coronary sinus where it empties into the right atrium anterior and medial to the inferior vena cava orifice.

Great coronary vein

The main tributary of the coronary sinus, originating near the apex within the anterior interventricular sulcus, running to the left of the anterior interventricular artery, and curving into the left atrioventricular sulcus.

Marshall’s vein

Also called the oblique vein of the left atrium, a venous tributary that drains blood from the left atrium into the coronary sinus.

Foramina of Lannelongue

Small openings through which the small veins of the heart and the veins of Thebesius empty directly into the chambers of the heart.

Galien’s vein

Also designated as the right marginal vein; the most prominent of the small veins on the anterior surface of the right ventricle that drains directly into the right atrium.

Veins of Thebesius

Deep, accessory veins arising in the myocardium of the atria and ventricles that empty directly into all four cardiac chambers via the foramina of Lannelongue.

Right main collecting lymphatic vessel

A lymphatic trunk draining the right superficial subpericardial network through the right atrioventricular sulcus and along the aorta to a pre-carotid node of the left anterior mediastinal chain, which joins the thoracic duct terminating at the left venous angle of the superior vena cava.

Left main collecting lymphatic duct

A lymphatic duct traversing the anterior interventricular sulcus and curving around the pulmonary artery to the intertracheobronchial lymph nodes, right laterotracheal chain, and great lymphatic vein, which empties at the right venous angle of the superior vena cava.

Cardionector system

The intrinsic conduction network of specialized cardiac tissue responsible for cardiac automatism (automaticity).

Sinus node (Node of Keith and Flack)

The atrio-sinal node situated near the ostium of the superior vena cava that acts as the primary starter (pacemaker) of the heart.

Atrioventricular node (Node of Aschoff and Tawara)

A relay node of the cardionector system located in the lower portion of the interatrial septum.

Bundle of His

The conduction tract arising from the atrioventricular node running along the atrioventricular and interventricular septa before dividing into right and left bundle branches that form the Purkinje network.

Anterior cardiac plexus (Wrisberg's ganglion)

An arterial plexus formed by left-sided cardiac nerves together with the right superior sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, giving rise to the coronary nerves of the right and left coronary plexuses.

Posterior cardiac plexus

A venous plexus formed by the middle and inferior sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiac nerves of the right side, giving origin to the atrial nerves of the atrial plexus.

Parasympathetic cardiac nerves

Branches of the vagus (pneumogastric) nerve comprising the superior branch (originating below the nodose ganglion), middle branch (originating from the recurrent laryngeal loop), and inferior branch (originating below the recurrent loop) that act as cardio-moderators.

Sympathetic cardiac nerves

Superior, middle, and inferior cardiac nerves arising from the corresponding cervical sympathetic ganglia that descend through the cervical and thoracic regions to accelerate heart rate (cardio-accelerator).