Vein of Marshall
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised David Carroll had no recorded disclosures.
View David Carroll's current disclosures- Oblique vein of Marshall
- Oblique vein of the left atrium
- Oblique vein of left atrium
The vein of Marshall, oblique vein of Marshall or the oblique vein of the left atrium is a small vein that descends on and drains the posterior wall of the left atrium. It drains directly into the coronary sinus at the same end as the great cardiac vein, marking the origin of the sinus.
It represents the persistent left horn of the sinus venous (left SVC) and is important prenatally, but is of little importance postnatally.
On this page:
Variant anatomy
It may be completely absent, in which case surrounding veins will drain the left atrium.
Related pathology
The pericardial folds surrounding this vessel, the Marshall ligament, may be a source of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and hence targeted during radio frequency ablation 4.
History and etymology
It is named after John Marshall (1818 - 1891): English surgeon and anatomist.
References
- 1, Moore KL, Agur AMR, Dalley AF. Clinically oriented anatomy. LWW. ISBN:1451119453. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2, Last's anatomy, regional and applied. Churchill Livingstone. ISBN:044304662X. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Harikrishnan S, Nair K, Tharakan J. Oblique vein of Marshall. Heart (British Cardiac Society). 91 (2): e16. doi:10.1136/hrt.2004.044222 - Pubmed
- 4. Sigakis C, Vargas D. Oblique vein of the left atrium - The Marshall vein. Journal of cardiovascular computed tomography. 10 (5): 432. doi:10.1016/j.jcct.2016.01.017 - Pubmed
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