Descending thoracic aorta
The aorta is an artery that conveys oxygenated blood from the heart to other parts of the body. It is one of the largest arteries in the body. The aorta gives off several paired branches as it descends. In descending order, these include the
Atrioventricular nodal branch
The atrioventricular nodal branch is a cardiac artery that is crucial because it feeds the atrioventricular node, necessary for the excitation and contraction of the ventricles. Most frequently (in over 80% of humans) it arises as a distal branch from the right coronary artery near the crux of the heart. In some people, the atrioventricular node instead receives blood from the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery, otherwise known as the left circumflex coronary artery or LCX. Very rarely, in approximately 2% of people, the vascular supply to the atrioventricular node arises from both the right coronary artery and the left circumflex branch.