Arteries of Abdomen

Abdominal Aorta:

· Enters the Aortic Hiatus between the right crus and left crus of the diaphragm at the level of T12.

· Extends retroperitoneally along the anterior surface of the vertebrae (slightly to the left), until the level of L4.

· Bifurcation of the Abdominal Aorta: It bifurcates at L4, into the Left Common Iliac and Right Common Iliac Arteries.

· Relations:

§ Goes posterior to the Uncinate Process and Body of the pancreas.

§ Goes posterior to the horizontal (third portion of) duodenum.

§ Goes posterior to the Left Renal Vein.

§ The left renal vein passes over (anterior to) the Aorta.

§ The left renal vein passes under (posterior to) the superior mesenteric artery.

§ The Inferior Vena Cava is to the right and slightly more anterior than the abdominal aorta.

§ At the bifurcation, the inferior vena cava passes posterior to the Aorta.

· Principle Branches:

§ Celiac Trunk

§ Superior Mesenteric Artery

§ Inferior Mesenteric Artery

§ Renal Arteries

§ Gonadal Arteries -- gonadal arteries pass to a region in the upper abdomen, not lower.

Celiac Trunk:

· Located just inferior to Aortic Hiatus.

· Branches:

§ Splenic

· Splenic ------> Left Gastroepiploic

§ Common Hepatic

· Common Hepatic ------> Proper Hepatic ------> Gastroduodenal ------> Right Gastroepiploic.

§ Right Gastroepiploic ------> Gastroduodenal Arteries

· Right Gastroepiploic ------> Superior Pancreaticoduodenal Arteries

§ Left Gastric

· Clinical:

§ If the left gastric is occluded, blood can be rerouted through the right gastric.

§ With gastroeosphageal cancer, the left gastric can be ligated, and the right gastric will still supply blood.

Superior Mesenteric Artery:

· Branches:

§ SMA ------> Inferior Pancreaticoduodenal Arteries

§ SMA ------> Middle Colic ------> (transverse colon)

§ SMA ------> Right Colic ------> (ascending colon)

§ SMA ------> Ileocolic ------> Ileal and Colic

· Marginal Artery: Comes off the Left Colic Artery and can supply the medial aspect of the large intestine in the absence of a middle colic.

· Inferior Mesenteric Artery:

§ IMA ------> Left Colic

§ IMA ------> Sigmoid Artery

§ IMA ------> Rectosigmoid

§ IMA ------> Superior Rectal

Pancreaticoduodenal Arcade: An alternative route for blood flow through the branches of the celiac, if there should be an occlusion in the celiac trunk.

§ Superior Pancreaticoduodenal Arteries come from the Hepatic branch of the Celiac.

§ Inferior Pancreaticoduodenal Arteries come from the SMA.

Lumbar Arteries: Supply the posterior abdominal wall.

§ 1st - 4th Lumbar Arteries come off of the Aortic Trunk directly.

§ 5th Lumbar Artery comes off of the Median Sacral Artery, below the bifurcation of the Aorta.

Category: Anatomy Notes