Great cardiac vein

The great cardiac vein (v. cordis magna) is the principal venous vessel draining the left portion of the heart. It originates near the apex of the heart, ascends toward the coronary groove, and then curves caudally within the coronary sulcus on the left side, where it continues as the coronary sinus.

According to Barone, it is more accurate to describe two portions (segments) of the great cardiac vein:

• The first portion of the great cardiac vein begins at the apex of the heart and ascends toward the base in the paraconal interventricular groove, where it is usually paired. Along its course it collects numerous veins from the ventricles and small twigs from the left atrium. Most of those from the ventricles are paired, in that a vein lies on each side of the comparable artery. This first portion of the great cardiac vein may be called "paraconal interventricular vein" or "dorsal vein of the left ventricle" and corresponds to the anterior interventricular vein in humans.

• The second portion of the great cardiac vein begins at the base of the paracolona interventricular groove near the bifurcating branches of the left coronary artery and then courses in the left part of coronary sulcus This segment of the great cardiac vein may be called as "coronary segment of great cardiac vein" but corresponds to the "great cardiac vein" proper. This second portion of the great cardiac vein receives the Intermediate branch [Left ventricular marginal vein].