Right coronary artery

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The right coronary artery (RCA) is one of the two main coronary arteries that supply the heart with oxygenated blood.

Gross anatomy

Origin

The RCA arises from the right coronary sinus as one of only two branches from the ascending aorta.

Course

The RCA courses to the right in the right atrioventricular groove, along the anterior surface to the inferior surface of the heart.

In people with right dominant circulation (seen in the majority of people), the RCA turns anteriorly at the crux to become the inferior interventricular artery.
In people with left dominant circulation the RCA peters out usually as an acute marginal artery and the inferior interventricular artery usually arises from the left circumflex artery.

Branches

conus artery
sinotubular artery
acute marginal arteries
terminal branches
inferior interventricular artery also known as posterior descending artery (PDA)
Posterior left ventricular branch (PLV or PLB)

Supply

TBC

Variant anatomy

Variations in origin:

from the aorta at or above the sinotubular junction
from the left coronary sinus or left coronary artery where the proximal RCA takes a 'malignant' inter-arterial course in which the vessel is prone to extrinsic compression
in up to 50% of cases there are separate ostia for the RCA and conus artery ²

Variations in branching:

PDA and PLV as terminal branches
PDA as the only terminal branch (in which PLV is supplied by the LCx)
Terminates as an acute marginal branch (in left dominant circulations)

Variations in course:

intra-atrial course (figure 1)
inter-arterial course (due to aberrant origin)

See main article: congenital coronary artery anomalies.

-<![endif]--></p><p>The <strong>right coronary artery</strong> <strong>(RCA) </strong>is one of the two main <a href="/articles/coronary-arteries">coronary arteries</a> that supply the <a href="/articles/heart">heart</a> with oxygenated blood.</p><h4><strong>Gross anatomy</strong></h4><h5><strong>Origin</strong></h5><p>The RCA arises from the right coronary sinus as one of only two branches from the ascending <a href="/articles/aorta">aorta</a>.</p><h5><strong>Course</strong></h5><p>The RCA courses to the right in the right atrioventricular groove, along the anterior surface to the inferior surface of the heart.</p><ul>
+<![endif]--></p><p>The <strong>right coronary artery</strong> <strong>(RCA) </strong>is one of the two main <a href="/articles/coronary-arteries">coronary arteries</a> that supply the <a href="/articles/heart">heart</a> with oxygenated blood.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Origin</h5><p>The RCA arises from the right coronary sinus as one of only two branches from the ascending <a href="/articles/aorta">aorta</a>.</p><h5><strong>Course</strong></h5><p>The RCA courses to the right in the right atrioventricular groove, along the anterior surface to the inferior surface of the heart.</p><ul>
~~-</ul><h5><strong>Branches</strong></h5><ul>~~
+</ul><h5>Branches</h5><ul>
~~-</ul><h5><strong>Supply</strong></h5><p>TBC</p><h4><strong>Variant anatomy</strong></h4><p>Variations in origin:</p><ul>~~
+</ul><h5>Supply</h5><p>TBC</p><h4>Variant anatomy</h4><p>Variations in origin:</p><ul>

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