Left Ventricular Artery from Right Coronary Artery: Case Report
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Anatomic anomalies are variations from common body structures. The left ventricle of the heart is usually supplied by branches of the left coronary artery. The left coronary artery branches into the circumflex artery which runs in the coronary sulcus, then branches into the left marginal branch to supply the left ventricle. Prior reports on the variations of the left coronary artery focus primarily on heart dominance and origin of the posterior descending artery. Here we report an unusual variation of the origin of the left ventricular artery. METHODS: During routine cadaveric dissection of the heart of a 96-year-old formalin fixed whole body female donor, the left ventricular artery was identified originating from the right coronary artery. The right coronary artery branches into the posterior interventricular branch, extends across the heart in the coronary sulcus and terminates as the left ventricular artery to supply the left ventricle. The left coronary artery branches into short circumflex and marginal arteries. No anastomoses between the circumflex, marginal arteries, and left ventricular arteries were found. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac vessel anomalies are implicated in management and treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction (MI). Dominance of the heart can confer an advantage or disadvantage with regards to perfusion of the heart in cases of CAD or MI. Dominance is determined by the artery that gives rise to the posterior interventricular artery. The left anterior descending artery is the most implicated artery in these disease processes. Right heart dominance demonstrates increased collateral flow in the setting of left anterior descending CAD and MI. The right coronary artery may supply enough of the myocardium to support oxygenation and avoid catastrophic ischemia. Future directions should include larger studies to assess the potential clinical implications of this anomaly in relation to heart disease and decreased mortality.
Start Time
16-4-2025 9:00 AM
End Time
16-4-2025 11:30 AM
Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Category
Health
Student Type
Clinical Doctoral Student (e.g., medical student, pharmacy student)
Faculty Mentor
Jonathon Millard
Faculty Department
Anatomical Sciences
Left Ventricular Artery from Right Coronary Artery: Case Report
INTRODUCTION: Anatomic anomalies are variations from common body structures. The left ventricle of the heart is usually supplied by branches of the left coronary artery. The left coronary artery branches into the circumflex artery which runs in the coronary sulcus, then branches into the left marginal branch to supply the left ventricle. Prior reports on the variations of the left coronary artery focus primarily on heart dominance and origin of the posterior descending artery. Here we report an unusual variation of the origin of the left ventricular artery. METHODS: During routine cadaveric dissection of the heart of a 96-year-old formalin fixed whole body female donor, the left ventricular artery was identified originating from the right coronary artery. The right coronary artery branches into the posterior interventricular branch, extends across the heart in the coronary sulcus and terminates as the left ventricular artery to supply the left ventricle. The left coronary artery branches into short circumflex and marginal arteries. No anastomoses between the circumflex, marginal arteries, and left ventricular arteries were found. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac vessel anomalies are implicated in management and treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction (MI). Dominance of the heart can confer an advantage or disadvantage with regards to perfusion of the heart in cases of CAD or MI. Dominance is determined by the artery that gives rise to the posterior interventricular artery. The left anterior descending artery is the most implicated artery in these disease processes. Right heart dominance demonstrates increased collateral flow in the setting of left anterior descending CAD and MI. The right coronary artery may supply enough of the myocardium to support oxygenation and avoid catastrophic ischemia. Future directions should include larger studies to assess the potential clinical implications of this anomaly in relation to heart disease and decreased mortality.