STUDY OF ATRIAL ARTERIES IN MAN

Abstract

The arterial blood supply of the atria of 40 human hearts was studied using a technique whereby the coronary arteries were injected with colored medium and the surrounding heart was cleared. The general arrangement of the atrial arteries was described. The arterial supplies to the sinu-atrial [SA] and atrio-ventricular [AV] nodes were detailed. In over 50% of the hearts both nodes were supplied from the right coronary artery and in only 7% were both nodes supplied from the left coronary artery. In the remainder, 1 node was supplied from the right coronary artery and the other from the left, in either combination. The SA nodal artery arose in 47% of the hearts from the 1st part of the right coronary artery and in 27% of the hearts from the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery. The AV nodal artery arose in 80% of the hearts from the terminal part of the right coronary artery. Some of the other relatively large atrial arteries were described. A nomenclature of these and the nodal arteries was discussed, particular emphasis being given to the latter.