The great cardiac vein (left coronary vein) begins at the apex of the heart and ascends along the

anterior longitudinal sulcus The anterior interventricular sulcus (or anterior longitudinal sulcus) is one of two grooves separating the ventricles of the heart (the other being the posterior interventricular sulcus). It is situated on the sternocostal surface of the heart, ...

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 The atrium ( la, ātrium, , entry hall) is one of two upper chambers in the heart that receives blood from ...

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. 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. It receives tributaries from the left atrium 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 anima ...

, 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