The coronary sulcus (also called coronary groove, auriculoventricular groove, atrioventricular groove, AV groove) is a

groove Groove or Grooves may refer to: Music * Groove (music) * Groove (drumming) * The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s * The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station * Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station ...

on the surface 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 ...

at the base of right auricle that separates the atria from the ventricles. The structure contains the trunks of the nutrient vessels of the heart, and is deficient in front, where it is crossed by the root of the

pulmonary trunk A pulmonary artery is an artery in the pulmonary circulation that carries deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. The largest pulmonary artery is the ''main pulmonary artery'' or ''pulmonary trunk'' from the heart, and ...

. On the posterior surface of the heart, the coronary sulcus contains 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 ...

Structure

In relation to the

rib cage The rib cage, as an enclosure that comprises the ribs, vertebral column and sternum in the thorax of most vertebrates, protects vital organs such as the heart, lungs and great vessels. The sternum, together known as the thoracic cage, is a sem ...

, the coronary sulcus spans from the medial side of the 3rd left

costal cartilage The costal cartilages are bars of hyaline cartilage that serve to prolong the ribs forward and contribute to the elasticity of the walls of the thorax. Costal cartilage is only found at the anterior ends of the ribs, providing medial extension. ...

, to the middle of the right 6th costal cartilage. Epicardial

fat In nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food. The term often refers specifically to triglycerides (triple est ...

tends to be concentrated along the coronary sulcus. There are two coronary sulci in the heart, including left and right coronary sulci.

Left coronary sulcus

The left coronary sulcus originates posterior to the

, and travels inferiorly separating the left atrium and left ventricle. The location of the left coronary sulcus is marked by the

circumflex branch of left coronary artery The circumflex branch of left coronary artery, or left circumflex artery or circumflex artery, is a branch of the left coronary artery. Description The left circumflex artery follows the left part of the coronary sulcus, running first to the ...

and

Right coronary sulcus

The right coronary sulcus begins anteriorly and superiorly on the sternocostal surface of the heart. Its position is marked by the location of the

right coronary artery In the blood supply of the heart, the right coronary artery (RCA) is an artery originating above the right cusp of the aortic valve, at the right aortic sinus in the heart. It travels down the right coronary sulcus, towards the crux of the hea ...

and

small cardiac vein The small cardiac vein, also known as the right coronary vein, is a coronary vein that drains the right atrium and right ventricle of the heart. Despite its size, it is one of the major drainage vessels for the heart. Location The small cardiac ...

. The right coronary sulcus separates the right

atrium Atrium may refer to: Anatomy * Atrium (heart), an anatomical structure of the heart * Atrium, the genital structure next to the genital aperture in the reproductive system of gastropods * Atrium of the ventricular system of the brain * Pulmona ...

and its atrial appendage from the right ventricle inferiorly. The right coronary sulcus then passes inferiorly onto the diaphragmatic surface of the heart and traverses to the left.

Clinical significance

The left coronary sulcus is often neglected in echocardiography. As a result, normal variations and rare pathologic findings can be missed.

References

External links