[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Anatomy](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/) › [Chest](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/region/chest/) › Great cardiac vein [Cardiovascular system](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/system/cardiovascular-system/) · [Chest](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/region/chest/) # Great cardiac vein The great cardiac vein runs up the front of the heart beside the anterior descending artery; it drains the front of the heart into the coronary sinus. [See in 3D →](https://durgical.app/?from=durgipedia&lang=en#region=thorax&select=great_cardiac_vein&side=r) Opens in the Durgical app, no sign-up needed. ## What it is The main vein of the front of the heart. It starts near the apex, climbs the anterior interventricular groove beside the LAD, then turns left in the atrioventricular groove beside the circumflex to end in the coronary sinus. ## What it does Drains the front of both ventricles, most of the septum and the left atrium into the coronary sinus. ## Key points - By convention it becomes the coronary sinus where it receives the oblique vein of the left atrium, a point often marked by the valve of Vieussens - Receives the left marginal vein along the obtuse margin, a frequent site for the left ventricular lead in cardiac resynchronization - Its first part, the anterior interventricular vein, gives catheter access to arrhythmias arising from the left ventricular summit ## Key facts **Drains** Anterior walls of both ventricles and the septum: rises with the LAD in the anterior interventricular groove, then turns left with the circumflex in the coronary groove **Into** Left end of the coronary sinus (at the valve of Vieussens and the oblique vein of the left atrium) ## Relations **Above** Left [auricle](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/auricle/), under which it turns into the coronary groove **Deep** [Interventricular septum](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/interventricular-septum/) and the base of the [left ventricle](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/left-ventricle/) **Course** Starts near the apex as the anterior interventricular vein beside the LAD, climbs the anterior interventricular groove, turns left into the coronary groove alongside the [circumflex artery](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/circumflex-artery-of-heart/) and becomes the [coronary sinus](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/coronary-sinus/) at the oblique vein of the [left atrium](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/left-atrium/) ## How to find it At surgery it is visible under the epicardium in the anterior interventricular groove beside the left anterior descending artery, then curves left in the atrioventricular groove alongside the circumflex artery toward the back of the heart. Catheters reach it through the coronary sinus ostium in the [right atrium](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/right-atrium/). ## On imaging Coronary sinus venography (contrast through a balloon catheter) or CT venography shows it and its tributaries before resynchronization or ablation. ## Common problems - Rarely a problem on its own. ## Clinical notes - Premature beats and ventricular tachycardia from the left ventricular summit can be mapped and ablated from inside the vein, where it runs close to the LAD and circumflex artery - Retrograde cardioplegia, given through a balloon catheter in the coronary sinus, reaches the anterior and lateral wall of the left ventricle through this vein during heart surgery - Devices for mitral annuloplasty placed through the coronary sinus and this vein can squeeze the circumflex artery where it passes beneath the vein, so the artery is checked by angiography during the procedure ## Anatomical variants - The number, size and course of its tributaries vary widely, which matters when choosing a site for the resynchronization lead ## Test yourself Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it. ## What course does the great cardiac vein follow? It rises with the left anterior descending artery in the anterior interventricular groove, then turns left with the circumflex in the coronary groove. ## Where does the great cardiac vein become the coronary sinus? Where it receives the oblique vein of the left atrium, a point often marked by the valve of Vieussens. ## Which tributary of the great cardiac vein is a frequent site for the left ventricular lead in cardiac resynchronization? The left marginal vein, which runs along the obtuse margin. [Add to my cards (3)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/anatomy/great-cardiac-vein/) Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional. ## Its names **Official Latin (TA2)** vena magna cordis TA2 4159 **Official Spanish (DeCS)** Vena cardíaca magna **English (TA2)** Great cardiac vein **Also called** anterior interventricular vein (its first part) · vena cordis magna ## Related - [Coronary sinus](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/coronary-sinus/) - [LAD (anterior descending artery)](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/anterior-interventricular-artery/) Sources: Terminologia Anatomica (TA2); [Anatomy, Thorax, Heart Veins](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549786/); [Anatomy, Thorax, Coronary Sinus](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557566/); Tratado de anatomía humana (9.ª ed.), tomo II, Libro IV Angiología, sección 1, cap. I Corazón (arts. VI–IX) y cap. II Pericardio. ## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake Representative model, for educational purposes only. --- Source: https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/great-cardiac-vein/ License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/great-cardiac-vein/