EXTENT OF LEFT ANTERIOR DESCENDING ARTERY INTO THE POSTERIOR INTERVENTRICULAR GROOVE

Left anterior interventricular artery or left anterior descending artery LAD as called by the clinicians is a branch of the left coronary artery. Respected by clinicians, as it has a negative influence on the morbidity and mortality. An important consideration is the length of LAD. Ten, intact, whole undissected hearts were obtained and the coronary arteries were dissected. Its origin, course and termination were noted. It was found that the LAD terminated at the apex in 50 percent of the specimens-10 percent was anterior to the apex and 40 percent was posterior to the apex. The LAD wrapped around the apex in 50percent of the specimens and terminated in the diaphragmatic surface of the heart- 40percent was more than 2cm but less than 5cm in the posterior sulcus and 10 percent was more than 5cm in the posterior interventricular sulcus. LAD always extends up to the terminal end of PDA. Whether LAD is extending up because PDA is short or PDA is short because LAD has already extended up is not clear. So angiographic interventions have important clinical significance.