Vasculature

• What are the 4 principal division of the aorta?

  1. Arch of the aorta
  2. Ascending aorta
  3. Thoracic aorta
  4. abdominal aorta
• Arch of the aorta

  • descends and ends at the level of the intervertebral disc between the 4th and 5th thoracic vertebrae to become descending
• Parts of the arch of the aorta

  • brachiocephalic trunk
  • R common carotid, R subclavian
  • L subclavian
  • L carotid
• ascending aorta

  • emerges from the LV posterior to the pulmonary trunk
  • beginning of coronary circulation
• parts of the ascending aorta

  • R and L coronary arteries
• Thoracic aorta

  • portion of descending aorta behind the heart above the diaphragm
• parts of the thoracic aorta

  • pericardium
  • esophagus
  • bronchi
  • diaphragm
  • intercostal & chest muscles
  • mammary gland
  • skin
  • vertebrae
  • spinal cord
• parts of the abdominal aorta

  • abdominal & pelvic viscera and lower extremities
• abdominal aorta

  • begins at the thoracic aorta and descends to the level of the 4th lumbar vertebra where it divides into 2 common iliac arteries
  • continuation of the thoracic aorta after it passes through the diaphragm
• abdominal aorta branches

  • unpaired arteries (supply GI tract)
  • celiac trunk
  • superior mesenteric artery
  • inferior mesenteric artery
• Celiac artery

  • first visceral branch of aorta inferior to diaphragm
  • supplies all organs of digestive canal that arise from abdominal part of esophagus and also spleen
• Superior Mesenteric

  • from anterior surface of abdominal aorta
  • extends between layers of mesentery
  • 5 branches
  • supplies all organs of digestive canal from duodenum to transverse colon
• What organs does the superior mesenteric supply?

  • pancreas
  • small intestine
  • duodenum
  • jejjunum
  • ileum
  • cecum
  • appendix
  • ascending colon
  • transverse colon
• Inferior Mesenteric

  • anterior aspect of abdominal aorta
  • passes to left of aorta
  • 3 branches
  • supplies all organs of digestive canal from transverse colon to rectum
• what organs does the inferior mesenteric supply?

  • large intestine
  • transverse colon
  • descending colon
  • sigmoid colon
  • rectum
• Common iliac

  • supply: pelvic wall muscle, external genitals, lower limbs
• external common iliac

  • supply: lower abdominal wall, cremaster muscle in males and round ligament of uterus and lower limb
  • larger than internal
• internal common iliac

  • supply: pelvic muscle wall, pelvic organs, buttocks, external genitals, and medial muscles of thigh
  • primary arteries of pelvis
• Paired arteries of the abdominal aorta

  • lumbar arteries
  • suprarenal
  • renal
  • gonadal
  • common iliac
• Lumbar arteries

  • supply: lumbar vertebrae, spinal cord and meninges, skin and muscles of posterior and lateral part of abdominal wall
  • common iliac is a lumbar artery
• Suprarenal

  • supply: adrenal glands
• renal

  • supply: kidneys
• gonadal

  • supply: ovaries and testes
  • shorter in females because the ovaries are higher up
• Veins

  • superior vena cava
  • coronary sinus
  • inferior vena cava
• veins remove carbon dioxide and waste products
• superior vena cava

  • supply:
  • head
  • neck
  • chest
  • upper limbs
• Coronary sinus

  • coronary circulation
  • supply:
  • great cardiac vein
  • middle cardiac vein
  • small cardiac vein
  • coronary sinus
• Inferior vena cava

  • largest vein in the body
  • supply:
  • abdomen
  • pelvis
  • lower limbs
• IVC ends when it bifurcates in common iliac veins
• Components of the Hepatic Portal System

  1. liver
  2. hepatic portal vein
  3. inferior mesenteric vein
  4. superior mesenteric vein
• In the hepatic portal system, venous blood comes from inferior and superior mesenteric veins and goes into the liver
• Hepatic portal vein receives tributaries from digestive canal organs
• liver

  • converts glucose into glycogen
  • reduces circulating glucose in blood
  • cleaning up the blood before it goes back to the heart
• Inferior mesenteric vein

  • receives tributaries from second half of large intestine
  • drains:
  • spleen
  • fundus
  • greater curvature of stomach
  • pancreas
  • greater omentum
  • descending colon
  • sigmoid colon
  • rectum
• superior mesenteric vein

  • arises from numerous tributaries from most of small intestine and first half of large intestine and ascends to join splenic vein to form hepatic portal vein
  • drains:
  • duodenum
  • jejunum
  • ileum
  • cecum
  • appendix
  • ascending colon
  • transverse colon
• venous blood from GI organs and spleen go to the liver before going to the inferior vena cava
• Conduit (conduction) vessel

  • blood vessel
  • transport blood to regions of the body
  • ex: aorta
• distribution vessel

  • blood vessel
  • distribute blood specifically to various organs
  • ex: femoral artery
• resistance vessel

  • blood vessel
  • account for the bulk of the resistance in the circulation
  • ex: arterioles
• exchange vessel

  • blood vessel
  • allow for movement of gases, fluids, and nutrients into and out of the blood
  • ex: capillaries