Abdominal aorta

Question 1

abdominal aorta

Answer 1

continuation of thoracic aorta
T12 to L4
at L4, it terminates by bifurcating into right and left common iliac arteries

Question 2

branches in descending order

Answer 2

inferior phrenic arteries
coeliac artery
superior mesenteric artery
middle suprarenal arteries
renal arteries
gonadal arteries
inferior mesenteric arteries
median sacral artery
lumbar arteries

Question 3

inferior phrenic arteries

Answer 3

paired parietal arteries arising posteriorly at T12

supply diaphragm

Question 4

coeliac artery

Answer 4

large, unpaired visceral artery arising anteriorly at T12

supplies liver, stomach, oesophagus, spleen, superior duodenum and superior pancreas

Question 5

branches of the coeliac artery

Answer 5

left gastric, splenic and common hepatic arteries

Question 6

left gastric artery

Answer 6

across diaphragm - oesophageal branches
lesser curvature of stomach
anastomoses w/ right gastric artery

Question 7

splenic artery

Answer 7

travels towards spleen
posterior to stomach, along superior pancreas
contained within splenorenal ligament
5 branches supply spleen

left gastroepiploic - greater curvature of stomach, anastomoses w/ right gastroepiploic artery
short gastrics - 5-7 branches for fundus
pancreatic branches - body and tail of pancreas

Question 8

common hepatic artery

Answer 8

passes to right
sole arterial supply to liver

proper hepatic and gastroduodenal arteries

Question 9

two terminal branches of common hepatic artery

Answer 9

proper hepatic - through lesser omentum towards liver - branches:
right gastric - pylorus, lesser curvature of stomach
right and left hepatic - divide inferior to porta hepatis and supply lobes
cystic - branch of right hepatic artery, gall bladder

gastroduodenal - descends posterior to superior duodenum. branches:
right gastroepiploic - greater curvature of stomach, between greater omentum
superior pancreaticoduodenal - anterior and posterior, head of pancreas

Question 10

superior mesenteric artery

Answer 10

anteriorly at L1
descends down posterior abdomen
supplies midgut

Question 11

midgut

Answer 11

major duodenal papilla of duodenum to proximal 2/3 of transverse colon

Question 12

major branches of superior mesenteric artery

Answer 12

inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery
jejunal and ileal arteries
middle and right colic arteries
ileocolic artery

Question 13

inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery

Answer 13

anterior and posterior vessels anastomose with branches of superior pancreaticoduodenal artery - inferior head of pancreas, uncinate process and duodenum

Question 14

jejunal and ileal arteries

Answer 14

pass between layers of mesentery and form anastomotic arcades - vasa recta arise (smaller, straight arteries)
jejunal - fewer arcades, longer vasa recta
ileal - more arcades, shorter vasa recta

Question 15

middle and right colic arteries

Answer 15

arise from right side of SMA
middle - transverse colon
right - ascending colon

Question 16

ileocolic artery

Answer 16

inferiorly, to right

branches to ascending colon, appendix, cecum, ileum

Question 17

middle suprarenal arteries

Answer 17

small paired visceral arteries arising posteriorly at L1

supply adrenal glands

Question 18

gonadal arteries

Answer 18

paired visceral arteries arising laterally at L2

testicular/ovarian arteries

Question 19

inferior mesenteric artery

Answer 19

supplies hindgut - distal 1/3 transverse colon, splenic flexure, descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum
arises at L3
retroperitoneal

Question 20

watershed area

Answer 20

splenic flexure

area with dual blood supply from most distal branches of two large arteries

Question 21

hindgut

Answer 21

distal 1/3 transverse colon, splenic flexure, descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectum

Question 22

major branches of IMA

Answer 22

left colic artery
sigmoid artery
superior rectal artery

Question 23

left colic artery

Answer 23

distal 1/3 transverse colon and descending colon
travels anteriorly to psoas major muscle, left ureter, left internal spermatic vessels

ascending branch - crosses left kidney anteriorly. supplies distal 1/3 transverse colon and upper aspect of descending colon

descending branch - inferiorly. lower part of descending colon. anastomoses w/ superior sigmoid artery

Question 24

sigmoid arteries

Answer 24

inferiorly. cross over psoas major, left ureter and left internal spermatic vessels
supply descending colon and sigmoid colon
2-4 branches
uppermost: superior sigmoid artery

Question 25

superior rectal artery

Answer 25

descends into pelvis
crosses left common iliac artery and vein
supplies rectum
s3 - 2 branches, each side of rectum

Question 26

median sacral artery

Answer 26

unpaired parietal artery arising posteriorly at L4

coccyx, lumbar vertebrae, sacrum

Question 27

lumbar arteries

Answer 27

4 pairs of parietal lumbar arteries arising posterolaterally between L1 and L4
supply abdominal wall and spinal cord