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Questions and Answers
Where does the superior vena cava return blood from?
Which vena cava meets the heart from a posterior and inferior position?
Where does the inferior vena cava originate?
What protects the superior vena cava when it reaches the level of the heart?
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Which blood vessels do the left and right iliac veins converge to form the inferior vena cava?
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Where does the inferior vena cava meet the heart?
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What is the function of the superior vena cava?
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Where does the middle cardiac vein originate?
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What is the main function of the coronary sinus?
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Which vessel collects deoxygenated blood from organs like spleen and liver?
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Study Notes
Superior & Inferior Vena Cava
- The superior vena cava returns deoxygenated blood from the upper portion of the body, including the head, neck, arms, and chest.
- The inferior vena cava returns deoxygenated blood from the lower portion of the body, including the abdomen, pelvis, legs, and feet.
- Both vessels return blood to the right atrium, but the superior vena cava meets it from above, while the inferior vena cava joins it from a posterior and inferior position.
Superior Vena Cava Location
- The superior vena cava originates at the junction of the right and left brachiocephalic veins.
- It travels down toward the heart in a vertical fashion, anterior to the spine, posterior to the ribcage, and to the right of both the aorta and the trachea.
- The superior vena cava merges with the right atrium, protected by the pericardium, with no valve located between the two.
Inferior Vena Cava Location
- The inferior vena cava originates at around the L5 vertebrae where the left and right iliac veins converge.
- It travels upward toward the heart, located anterior to the spine and to the right of the descending aorta along the posterior abdominal wall.
- The inferior vena cava is longer and has a wider diameter than the superior vena cava, and meets the heart at the posterior aspect of the right atrium with no valve in between.
Superior & Inferior Vena Cava Function
- The superior vena cava returns deoxygenated blood from the upper portion of the body to the heart, collecting blood from many smaller veins including the brachiocephalic, jugular, azygos, and subclavian veins.
- The inferior vena cava returns deoxygenated blood from the lower portion of the body to the heart, collecting blood from the iliac, renal, lumbar, and veins of the reproductive organs, as well as the large hepatic vein.
Coronary Sinus
- The coronary sinus is responsible for draining deoxygenated blood from the coronary circulation into the right atrium of the heart.
- It collects deoxygenated blood from venous vessels of the coronary vasculature, including the great cardiac vein, the middle cardiac vein, and the left marginal vein, but not directly from the heart's muscle tissue.
- The coronary sinus is located on the backside of the heart, positioned almost horizontally, wrapping around the posterior side of the coronary sulcus.
Middle Cardiac Vein
- The middle cardiac vein is part of the coronary circulation responsible for collecting deoxygenated blood from the heart muscle of both the right and left ventricle as well as the ventricular septum tissues.
- It originates at the apex of the heart and travels superiorly through the posterior longitudinal sulcus before depositing the deoxygenated blood into the coronary sinus.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the superior and inferior vena cava, the major blood vessels responsible for returning deoxygenated blood to the heart. Learn about their functions and differences in returning blood from different parts of the body.
