Atrioventricular nodal branch

The atrioventricular nodal branch is a coronary artery that supplies arterial blood to the atrioventricular node, which is responsible for initiating muscular contraction of the ventricles. The AV nodal branch is most often a branch of the right coronary artery.

Atrioventricular nodal branch
Sternocostal surface of heart.
ARTERIES: RCA = right coronary AB = atrial branches SANB = sinuatrial nodal RMA = right marginal LCA = left coronary CB = circumflex branch LAD/AIB = anterior interventricular LMA = left marginal PIA/PDA = posterior descending AVN = atrioventricular nodal VEINS: SCV = small cardiac ACV = anterior cardiac AIV/GCV = great cardiac MCV = middle cardiac CS = coronary sinus
Details
Identifiers
Latin	ramus nodi atrioventricularis
TA98	A12.2.03.110
TA2	4140
FMA	3851
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

Structure

Origin

The atrioventricular nodal branch sees significant variation in origin:

• proximal posterolateral branch from the right coronary artery in around 77%.^[1]
• distal posterolateral branch from the right coronary artery in around 2%.^[1]
• distal right coronary artery in around 10%.^[1]
• right posterior interventricular artery in around 7%.^[1]
• distal circumflex branch of left coronary artery in around 4%.^[1]

The right coronary artery supplies the atrioventricular node in around 90% of people.^[1][2]

In approximately 2% of people, the vascular supply to the atrioventricular node arises from both the right coronary artery and the left circumflex branch.^[3]

Function

The atrioventricular nodal branch supplies the atrioventricular node, allowing for excitation of the ventricles.^[1]

See also

• Coronary circulation