Left coronary artery
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Artery: Left coronary artery | |
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| Base of ventricles exposed by removal of the atria. (Left coronary artery visible at left.) | |
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| The arch of the aorta, and its branches. | |
| Latin | arteria coronaria sinistra |
| Gray's | subject #142 547 |
| Source | ascending aorta |
| Branches | anterior interventricular circumflex (ramus intermedius) |
The left coronary artery, abbreviated LCA and also known as the left main coronary artery (often abbreviated LMCA), arises from the aorta above the left cusp of the aortic valve.
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[edit] Branching
It typically runs for 1 to 25 mm and then bifurcates into the anterior interventricular artery (also called left anterior descending (LAD)) artery and the left circumflex artery (LCX). Sometimes an additional artery arises at the bifurcation of the left main artery, forming a trifurcation; this extra artery is called the intermediate artery.[1]
The part that is between the aorta and the bifurcation only is known as the left main artery (LM), while the term 'LCA' might refer to just the left main, or to the left main and all its eventual branches.
A "first septal branch" is sometimes described.[2]
[edit] Additional images
 A coronary angiogram that shows the LMCA, LAD and LCX. |
 Diagram of a myocardial infarction. |
 Plan of the branches. |
 Autopsy specimen showing the coronary ostia and proximal segments of the coronary arteries. Compare with Gray's Anatomy drawing above. |
 Cardiac vessels |
 Human heart with coronary arteries |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Fuster, V; Alexander RW, O'Rourke RA (2001). Hurst's The Heart (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill. p. 53. ISBN 0-07-135694-0.
- ^ Verna E, Santarone M, Boscarini M, Ghezzi I, Repetto S (June 1988). "Unusual origin and course of the first septal branch of the left coronary artery: angiographic recognition". Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 11 (3): 146–9. PMID 3139296. http://www.springerlink.com/content/d697r34x36r22051/.
[edit] External links
- SUNY Figs 20:03-01 - "Anterior view of the heart."
- Left+coronary+artery at eMedicine Dictionary
- 00463 at CHORUS
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