Coronary venous circulation

Coronary venous circulation Importance of knowing the coronary venous circulation has increased in recent years with use of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for heart failure. Left ventricular epicardial pacing in CRT is achieved by placing a lead in a coronary vein, usually a posterolateral tributary of the coronary sinus. Coronary venous circulation can be visualized by a coronary angiogram levophase. After filling the coronary arteries, the contrast drains into the coronary venous system, finally opacifying the coronary sinus, which drains into the right atrium. Here is a coronary angiogram levophase, with a line diagram beside it: Coronary angiogram levophase To get better visualization of the coronary sinus and its tributaries, a balloon occlusion angiography of the coronary sinus is done by cannulating it retrogradely from the right atrium. But that is done only just prior to CRT as there is a small risk of coronary sinus dissection. The veins visualized in a coronary angiogram levophase will also depend on the coronary artery in which contrast is injected. Coronary venous circulation has been divided into a greater cardiac venous system which drains into the coronary sinus and a smaller cardiac venous system which drains into cardiac chambers. Smaller cardiac venous system is constituted mainly by the Thebesian veins [1]. Coronary sinus is the largest cardiac vein with multiple tributaries. It is located in the left posterior atrioventricular groove and empties ...
Source: Cardiophile MD - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Cardiology Source Type: blogs