The great cardiac vein (left coronary vein) begins at the

apex of the heart The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide to t ...

and ascends along the anterior longitudinal sulcus to the base of the ventricles. It then curves around the left margin of the heart to reach the posterior surface. It merges with the

oblique vein of the left atrium The oblique vein of the left atrium (oblique vein of Marshall) is a small vessel which descends obliquely on the back of the left atrium and ends in the coronary sinus In anatomy, the coronary sinus () is a collection of veins joined together t ...

to form the

coronary sinus In anatomy, the coronary sinus () 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 vena ...

, which drains into the

right atrium The atrium ( la, ātrium, , entry hall) is one of two upper chambers in the heart that receives blood from the circulatory system. The blood in the atria is pumped into the heart ventricles through the atrioventricular valves. There are two at ...

. At the junction of the great cardiac vein and the coronary sinus, there is typically a valve present. This is the

Vieussens valve of the coronary sinus The Vieussens valve of the coronary sinus is a prominent valve at the end of the great cardiac vein, marking the commencement of the coronary sinus. It is often a flimsy valve composed of one to three leaflets. It is present in 80-90% of individuals ...

. It receives tributaries from the

left atrium The atrium ( la, ātrium, , entry hall) is one of two upper chambers in the heart that receives blood from the circulatory system. The blood in the atria is pumped into the heart ventricles through the atrioventricular valves. There are two at ...

and from both ventricles: one, the

left marginal vein The great cardiac vein receives tributaries from the left atrium and from both ventricles: one, the left marginal vein, is of considerable size, and ascends along the left margin of the heart The heart is a muscular organ in most animals ...

, is of considerable size, and ascends along the left margin of the heart.

References

External links

* - "Heart: Cardiac veins" * - "Anterior view of the heart." {{Authority control Veins of the torso