European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 24 - Number 6
Eur J Anat, 24 (6): 501-505 (2020)

Direct emergence of the conus artery from an independent ostium. A cadaveric study on a Spanish sample

Carme Rissech, Anna Carrera, Francisco Reina

Unit of Anatomy, Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Girona, Girona, Spain

ABSTRACT The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency with which the conus artery origi-nates from an independent ostium in the right aor-tic sinus. Twenty-five adult hearts (3 females, 5 males and 17 unknown sex), from the body dona-tion program of the University of Girona, were ana-lysed. After intravascular injection of natural col-oured latex in the coronary ostia, the origin of the conus artery and its distribution pattern were ana-lysed by microdissection. Three of the 25 hearts analysed (12.0%) displayed the direct emergence of the conus artery from a discrete ostium in the right aortic sinus: in two specimens (8%) showing a single ostium for the independent conus artery, and in one heart (4%) two ostia for two independ-ent conus arteries. In all cases, the independent conus arteries were shorter than the coronary ar-tery and extended up to the anterior wall of the right ventricle, coinciding with the observations of previous authors. The independent conus artery may be an important source of collateral blood flow to the infundibulum. It may be an important source of apex and interventricular septum collateral irri-gation. To ascertain the origin of the conus artery and its distribution is clinically important, particular-ly in obstructions of the anterior interventricularartery. The independent conus artery's collateral perfusion can both obscure the detection of any ischaemic modification in the apex and septum regions, and serve as a therapeutic source. Con-sequently, interpretations of the coronary occlusion clinical test should take this vascular channel into account.

Keywords: Coronary arteries â?? Conus branch â?? Heart â?? Anatomical variations â?? Anatomical population differences

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)