Ventral Perspective of the Coronary Veins (Heart, Transverse Section)

Description

Oriented from a ventral perspective in a transverse (axial) section, the cut face of the male heart exposes the right and left atria superiorly and the right and left ventricles inferiorly, divided by the interventricular septum. Coronary venous channels course within the epicardial fat along the atrioventricular (coronary) sulcus and the interventricular groove, then converge toward the posterior atrioventricular region where they drain to the coronary sinus before entering the right atrium. Smaller venules and tributaries track with the arterial vasculature on the ventricular surfaces, with veins running superficial to myocardium and deep to the pericardium. Red and blue coding separates oxygenated outflow and venous return pathways. Clear landmarks. Sectioning at the level of the valves places the aortic valve superior to the left ventricle and the pulmonary valve superior to the right ventricle, which helps orient the viewer when mapping venous drainage relative to the ventricular outflow tracts. This relationship matters in the operating room and cath lab, where the coronary sinus and its tributaries (including the great cardiac vein region) guide placement of left ventricular leads for cardiac resynchronization therapy and serve as a route for retrograde cardioplegia. Venous anatomy also explains patterns of myocardial edema or hemorrhage after coronary sinus thrombosis and helps distinguish venous structures from coronary arteries during dissection or CT angiography teaching. Cardiology and anatomy faculty can drop this plate directly into lessons on coronary circulation, emphasizing how venous conduits mirror arterial territories while still showing chamber topology and valve orientation in a single transverse slice. It also fits surgical atlases and device manuals discussing coronary sinus cannulation, epicardial pacing lead pathways, or complications related to venous occlusion around the atrioventricular groove. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.