Anatomical Study of the Cardiac Veins and their Tributaries in Bovines (Bos indicus) in Comparison with Humans and Other Animal Species

In bovines, anatomical observations of the coronary vascular tree describe qualitative characteristics. The objective of this study was to morphometrically characterize the coronary veins and their tributaries in cattle. An arcuate application with 2.0 silk was performed around the ostium of the coronary sinus of 28 bovine hearts and a number 14 catheter was placed, through which semisynthetic polyester resin and mineral blue color was perfused. In 22 hearts (78.6 %) the great cardiac vein was originated at the cardiac apex. The configuration of the arteriovenous trigone was mainly closed inferior and superior types (50 %). The caliber of the great cardiac vein at the level of the atrioventricular sulcus was 6.7 +/- 1.2 mm. The origin of the left marginal vein was observed in the lower third of the left cardiac margin (53.6 %), its distal caliber was 4.1 +/- 0.8 mm and its drainage was at the level of the great cardiac vein. The middle cardiac vein originated from the cardiac apex in 78.6 % of the samples, emptied mainly into the coronary sinus (82.1 %) and its distal caliber was 4.7 +/- 0.9 mm. Anastomoses occurred in 28.6 % of the hearts, being found in most cases between the middle cardiac vein and the great cardiac vein (50 %), which was significant compared to other anastomoses (p<0.001). The length of the coronary sinus was 42.2 +/- 5.1 mm, its distal caliber was 13.8 +/- 2 mm, and its shape was cylindrical. Myocardial bridges were found in 3 hearts (10.7 %) mainly in the lower third of the middle cardiac vein (66.6 %). Most of the main coronary veins drained into the coronary sinus, with some cases with atypical outlets and the presence of a high percentage of anastomosis that serves to improve cardiac venous drainage in case of venous compression or obstruction.