The coronary system and associated medical devices

Abstract

In general, there are three primary components of the coronary system. The first is the coronary arteries; this important group of vessels originates with the right and left main coronary arteries, which exit the ascending aorta just above the aortic valve. The smallest of the arteries eventually branch into arterioles. In turn, the arterioles branch into an extremely large number of capillaries, the smallest diameter vessels, which make up the second vessel system. Next, blood exits the capillaries and begins its return to the heart via the venules through the third component system of vessels, the venous drainage of the heart. Thus, the coronary veins drain the deoxygenated blood from the myocardium back to the right atrium, in which it joins with the systemic deoxygenated blood entering from the superior and inferior venae cavae. © 2005 Humana Press Inc.