Abdominal aorta

Aorta abdominalis forms an unpaired continuation of the thoracic section of the aorta and transports oxygenated blood to all abdominal and pelvic organs, supplies the muscles of the back, abdominal walls and diaphragm, external genitalia and lower limbs.

The abdominal aorta runs close to the spine on the left side vena cava inferior from the hiatus aorticus of the diaphragm (at Th12 level) to its bifurcation (L4) where it divides into the arteriae iliacae'' communes (a. iliaca communis dextra et sinistra), which then continue to the pelvic area, where they continue to branch. Some branches supply the organs, while others participate in the supply of the surrounding walls. Accordingly, we distinguish parietal (mural) branches and visceral (organ) branches.

Parietal branches
The parietal branches of the abdominal aorta include the '''aa. phrenicae inferiores departing just below the hiatus aorticus and running along the lower surface of the diaphragm, 4 pairs of aa'''. lumbales, a. sacralis mediana forming an unpaired continuation of the abdominal aorta and aa. iliacae communes. Aa. phrenicae inferiores participate in the supply of the diaphragm and contribute, among other things, to the nutrition of the adrenal glands (aa. suprarenales superiores). The Lumbar arteries are a continuation of the thoracic intercostal arteries (branches of the thoracic aorta) and supply the corresponding sections of the lumbar region and abdominal wall. Aa. iliacae supply the entire lower half of the body.

Visceral Branches
Can be further divided into even and odd


 * Unpaired branches (craniocaudally)
 * Truncus coeliacus
 * Truncus coeliacus is a very short branch that divides into 3 main branches just a few centimeters from its distance in the Th12/L1 region – a. spleen supplying the great curvature of the stomach, body and tail of the pancreas and spleen, a. gastrica sinistra running along the lesser curvature of the stomach and also supplying the pars abdominalis esophagus and a. hepatica communis nourishing the region of the greater curvature, the duodena, the head of the pancreas and the liver with the gallbladder.
 * A. superior mesenteric
 * AND. mesenterica superior (departs about 2 cm caudally from the truncus coeliacus behind the head of the pancreas, level L1) is the main branch for duodenum (aa. pancreaticoduodenales inferiores), jejunum (aa. jejunales), ileum (aa. ileales), caecum (a. ileocolica), colon ascendens and colon transversum (a. colica dextra et media) to Cannon-Boehm point (about 2/3 colon transversum). Outside the small, cecum and large intestine, a. mesenterica sup. it also participates in the supply of the head of the pancreat, it can also send branches for the stomach and in up to 30% of cases even an additional a. hepatica accessoria.
 * A. mesenteric inferior
 * AND. mesenterica inferior (displacement at the level of the upper part of the L3 vertebra) connects with the supply to a. mesenterica sup. (anastomoses with a. colica media – anastomosis magna Haleri) and supplies blood for the rest of the colon transversum, for the colon descendens (a. colica sinistra), sigmoideum (aa. sigmoideae) and rectum (a . rectalis superior) where it anastomoses with paired aa. rectales mediae (from a. iliaca interna), which allows partial (but not completely sufficient) compensation in case of obstruction of one of these arteries.


 * Pair branches
 * aa. suprarenales mediae supplying the right and left adrenal glands;
 * aa. renales (a. renalis dx. et sin.) for both kidneys and as a lower branch for adrenal glands (aa. suprarenales inferiores) ;
 * aa. testiculares/ovaricae (a. testicularis/ovarica dx. et sin.) nourishing gonads (testicles/ovaries).

Related Articles

 * Abdominal aortic bulge
 * Elastic artery (histological preparation)
 * Aorta thoracica
 * Aortic regurgitation
 * Aortic Stenosis

Source
Translated from ws:Aorta abdominalis