The anatomy of the cardiac veins in storks (Ciconia ciconia) [Leyleklerde (Ciconia ciconia) kalp venlerinin anatomisi]

This study was carried out to describe the origin,course and ramifications of the cardiac veins in storks. for this purpose,coloured latex injection method was applied on heart of nine adult storks. the results indicate that venous drainage of the heart was provided by the v. cardiaca sinistra,the v. cardiaca media,the vv. cardiacae dextrae and the vv. cardiacae minimae. the coronary sinus was not found in all samples. the v. cardiaca sinistra and v. cardiaca media were opened into the v. cava cranialis sinistra. the v. cardiaca sinistra was the largest vein providing to venous drainage of heart which consisted of two main parts pars interventricularis and v. cardiaca circumflexa sinistra. the v. cardiaca circumflexa sinistra was collected to venous blood of the ventriculus sinister and atrium sinistrum by means of several vessels. one branch of the v. cardiaca circumflexa sinistra coming from ventriculus sinister was much larger than rest and drained big part of ventriculus sinister. the v. cardiac media was a single vein. the vv. cardiacae dextrae were opened directly into the right atrium. the vv. cardiacae minimae were collected venous blood from the wall of atrium dextrum and interventricular septum and emptied into the right chambers of heart. the venous blood of the interventricular septum was collected by the vv. septales of pars interventricularis and v. cardiaca media. it was concluded that circulation of cardiac veins in stork closely resembles that of rodent and is unlike both fowl and ostrich patterns.