[Ventricular branches of the circumflex artery of the heart]

Because of the great number of anatomic descriptions, and because of the variability of the nomenclature, the authors realized three studies: anatomical, radiological, and surgical studies of 198 hearts (150 dissections and 148 angiographies). There are 3 groups of collateral branches for the left ventricle: --The lateral branch (existing in 49 per cent of the cases), beginning after a short space with often an intra-myocardial segment, and running obliquely on the pulmonary surface of the left ventricle. --The lateral and inferior branch (existing in 38 per cent of the cases), situated just between the pulmonary and diaphragmatic surface of the ventricle, and perpendicular to the coronary sulcus. --The inferior or posterior branches (existing in 59 per cent of the cases), which are parallel to the inferior (or posterior) interventricular sulcus, on the diaphragmatic surface of the heart.