Can We Better Understand the Known Variations in Coronary Arterial Anatomy?

Coronary arterial anatomy is remarkably diverse. Identification of surgical risk factors, however, requires description in a uniform fashion. Such description mandates that account be given of both aortic sinusal origin and variability in aortopulmonary relationships. Currently, however, it is rare to find all this information provided either in clinical reports or published reviews. In this review, therefore, we summarize why both these features are important, emphasizing the marriage of convenience between the aortic root position within the cardiac base and the arrangement of the epicardial coronary arteries. The inductive approach accounts for all potential variations.