Anatomy, Thorax, Coronary Sinus

Excerpt

Historically, cardiovascular research has gravitated toward the arterial vasculature that supplies oxygenated blood to cardiac myocytes. As biomedical technology advances, the downstream network of postcapillary coronary veins has gained further clinical relevance. The advent and improvement of cardiac interventions such as resynchronization therapy and retrograde cardioplegia make use of the coronary venous network’s close anatomical association with clinically valuable structures. The coronary venous network drains deoxygenated blood from the myocardium into one of two systems: the greater cardiac venous system and the smaller cardiac venous system. These systems are comprised of many complementary veins, the majority of which coalesce to form the coronary sinus. The coronary sinus is the major venous tributary of the greater cardiac venous system; it is responsible for draining most of the deoxygenated blood leaving the myocardium. Given the advancement of interventional cardiac procedures, a comprehensive appreciation of the coronary sinus is essential for furthering the medical care of future cardiovascular patients.