The posterolateral artery, also known as the "retroventricular artery" is one of the two terminal branches of the right coronary artery. The other terminal branch is the posterior interventricular artery or PDA. This artery presents with many variations, from being absent to extremely long arteries with extensive branching that take some of the territory of the circumflex artery. The posterolateral artery extends from the crux cordis to the left side of the heart in the atrioventricular sulcus.

The AV node artery, which provides blood supply to the AV node (a component of the conduction system of the heart) may arise from the posterolateral artery instead of arising from the right coronary artery or the posterior interventricular artery.

When present, the posterolateral artery provides some posterior left ventricular branches and maybe some posterior left atrial branches. See the accompanying image, you may click on the image for more information. The image depicts a posterolateral artery slightly longer than usual.

Image property of: CAA.Inc. Photography: Efrain Klein