WEEK 2 (Major blood vessels of the heart)

Question 1

Right coronary artery

Answer 1

• ORIGIN: RIGHT AORTIC SINUS of the ASCENDING AORTA
• Passes ANTERIORLY and descends vertically in the coronary sulcus
• ATRIAL BRANCH, SINU-ATRIAL NODAL BRANCH, RIGHT MARGINAL BRANCH and POSTERIOR INTERVENTRICULAR BRANCH arise from the main stem
• Supplies the right atrium, right ventricle, sinu-atrial and atrioventricular nodes, intertribal septum and a portion of the left atrium
• Supplies a large portion of the posterior wall of the left ventricle

Question 2

Left coronary artery

Answer 2

• ORIGIN: LEFT AORTIC SINUS of the ASCENDING AORTA
• Passes between the PULMONARY TRUNK and the LEFT AURICLE before entering the coronary sulcus
• Divides into the ANTERIOR INTERVENTRICULAR BRANCH and CIRCUMFLEX BRANCH (very small)

Question 3

Right and left brachiocephalic veins

Answer 3

• Located immediately posterior to the thymus
• Each side at junction between the INTERNAL JUGULAR and SUBCLAVIAN VEIN
• Both join to form SUPERIOR VENA CAVA

Question 4

Right brachiocephalic vein

Answer 4

• Begins posterior to the medial end of the RIGHT CLAVICLE and passes vertically downwards
• VERTEBRAL, FIRST POSTERIOR INTERCOSTAL and INTERNAL THORACIC VEINS drain into it

Question 5

Left braciocepalic vein

Answer 5

• Begins posterior to the medial end of the LEFT CLAVICLE
• VERTEBRAL, FIRST POSTERIOR INTERCOSTAL, LEFT SUPERIOR INTERCOSTAL, INFERIOR THYROID and INTERNAL THORACIC VEINS drain into it

Question 6

Superior vena cava

Answer 6

• Where the RIGHT and LEFT BRACHIOCEPHALIC VEINS JOIN
• Starts from lower edge of the RIGHT FIRST COSTAL CARTILAGE and ends at lower edge of THIRD COSTAL CARTILAGE
• Joins RIGHT ATRIUM
• Within PERICARDIAL SAC & MIDDLE MEDIASTINUM

Question 7

Left superior intercostal vein

Answer 7

• Receives the LEFT BRONCHIAL VEINS, the SECOND, THIRD and sometimes FOURTH POSTERIOR INTERCOSTAL VEINS & LEFT PERICARDIOCOPHRENIC VEIN
• Passes over Left side of AORTIC ARCH before entering the LEFT BRACHIOCEPHALIC VEIN