Irrigation of sinus node in swine of the Piètrain breed

Abstract

The arterial blood supply of the sinoatrial node has been studied in 30 hearts of females, of Piètrain swine breed. The hearts had, after being detached and adequately cleaned, their coronary arteries injected with colored Neoprene latex 450 solution, and fixed later in formalin solution at 10% for consecutive dissection. In 27 (90% ± 5.47) hearts the sinus node is nourished by collateral branches of the right coronary artery, more exactly, of the right proximal atrial branch exclusively in 18 (60% ± 8.94) organs or associated: with the right intermedio atrial branch in 7 (23.33% ± 7.72) hearts and with the right distal atrial branch in 2 (6.66% ± 4.55). In 3 (10% ± 5.47) organs, the sinus node is nourished by collaterals coming from the right and left coronary arteries, always by the right proximal atrial branch associated with the left proximal atrial branch in 2 (6.66% ± 4.55) or with right intermedio and left proximal atrials branches in 1 (3.33% ± 3.27) organ. Arterial anastomosis involving branches related to the nourishment of the sinus node in swine of Piètrain breed were observed.