A Macroanatomical Study on the Coronary Arteries of Kıvırcık Sheep

The aim of this study was to determine the macroanatomical properties of coronary arteries of Kıvırcık sheep. In this study, 14 Kıvırcık sheep hearts were used as the material. The coronary arteries were filled by the injection of coloured latex. Dissected hearts were evaluated and photographed. Arterial vascularisation of the heart was provided by the left and right coronary arteries. The septal branches from which the right coronary artery and its branches gave off during their course were lesser in number and thinner than the septal branches from which the left coronary artery and its branches gave off during their course. The right coronary artery divided into two branches after its origin in two samples. The branch directed to coronary groove gave off the atrial branches, while the other branch directed distally gave off the ventricular branches. The right distal atrial branches were not observed in three hearts. The right ventricular marginal and distal branches were originated from a common root in six materials. The left coronary artery divided into the paraconal interventricular and left circumflex branches in five of 14 samples. In addition to these two vessels, it gave off the left proximal atrial branch in nine samples, septal branch in three samples and left intermediate atrial branch in one heart.