Part of Aorta series

Basics

• Begins at level of diaphragmatic crura and terminates at bifurcation into common iliac arteries (CIAs)
• Lies slightly left of the midline, parallel to inferior vena cava (IVC)

Branches

Visceral branches

• Celiac artery/axis/trunk
  • Left gastric artery
    continues along lesser curvature of stomach
    • 3-10% gives rise to replaced LHA (8-13% accessory LHA)
  • Splenic artery
    • Pancreatic branches
      supply pancreatic body and tail
    • Splenic branches
    • Short gastric branches
      supply fundus of stomach
    • Left gastroepiploic artery
      supply greater curvature of stomach
  • Common hepatic artery (CHA)
    • Gastroduodenal artery (GDA)
      • Right gastroepiploic artery
        anastomoses with Left gastroepiploic artery (arc of Barkow) in posterior omental layer
      • Superior pancreaticoduodenal artery
    • Hepatic artery proper (HAP)
      • Normal branches
        • Right gastric artery
          anastomoses with Left gastric artery
        • Right hepatic artery (RHA)
        • Left hepatic artery (LHA)
      • Anatomical variant
        • Middle hepatic artery
          supplies hepatic segment 4
        • Cystic artery (normally arises from RHA)
    • 2% arise from aorta directly
• Superior mesenteric artery (SMA)
  supplies bowel from 2nd part duodenum to splenic flexure of transverse colon
  • Inferior pancreaticoduodenal arteries
    anastomoses with superior pancreaticoduodenal arteries
  • Middle colic artery
  • Jejunal and ileal branches
    form anastomotic loops (arcades arteries), which give off vasa recta (straight arteries)
  • Right colic artery
  • Ileocolic artery
  • 9-15% gives rise to replaced RHA (1-7% accessory RHA)
  • 2-4% gives rise to replaced CHA
  • Celiacomesenteric trunk
    Very rare: single common origin of celiac and SMA
• Middle adrenal arteries
  supply adrenal glands
• Gonadal arteries
  originate inferior to renal arteries but superior to IMA
• Inferior mesenteric artery (IMA)
  supplies distal 1/3 transverse colon to proximal rectum
  • Left colic artery
    connect with middle colic artery via arc of Riolan
  • Sigmoidal artery
  • Superior rectal (hemorrhoidal) artery
  • Marginal artery of Drummond
    anastomotic artery along the mesenteric border of the colon; gives off vasa recta

Renal arteries

see more

Parietal branches

• Inferior phrenic arteries (paired)
  arising anteriorly; supply under surface of diaphragm; give off multiple superior adrenal arteries
• Lumbar arteries (paired, multiple)
  arising posteriorly; anastomose with lower intercostal, iliolumbar, deep circumflex iliac, and inferior epigastric arteries
• Median sacral artery (single, midline)
  anastomose with iliolumbar, and lateral sacral branches