Splenic artery

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Artery: Splenic artery
The visceral surface of the spleen.
Branches of the celiac artery. (Lienal artery is an old term for splenic artery, and is visible at center. The spleen is at center right. The stomach has been flipped out to reveal the splenic artery, so the greater curvature is at the top in this diagram.)
Latin arteria splenica, arteria lienalis
Gray's subject #154 605
Supplies spleen
Source celiac artery   
Branches Pancreatic branches
Pancreatica magna
Left gastro-omental
Short gastric
Trabecular arteries
Vein splenic vein
MeSH Splenic+Artery
Dorlands
/ Elsevier    		 a_61/12156021

In anatomy, the splenic artery (in the past called the lienal artery) is the blood vessel that supplies oxygenated blood to the spleen. It branches from the celiac artery, and follows a course superior to the pancreas.

Contents

[edit] Branches

The splenic artery gives off branches to the stomach and pancreas before reaching the spleen.

Branch Description
branch to the pancreas Multiple branches serving the pancreas. The largest is the arteria pancreatica magna
short gastric upper part of greater curvature of the stomach
left gastroepiploic middle of greater curvature of the stomach

Note that the branches of the splenic artery do not reach all the way to the lower part of the greater curvature of the stomach. Instead, that region is supplied by the right gastroepiploic artery, a branch of the gastroduodenal artery. The two gastroepiploic arteries anastomose with each other at that point.

[edit] Vein

Along its course, it is accompanied by a similarly named vein, the splenic vein, which drains into the portal vein.

[edit] Pathology

Splenic artery aneurysms are rare[1], but still the third most common abdominal aneurysm[2] (after aneurysms of the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries).

[edit] Additional images

The celiac artery and its branches.

Transverse section of the human spleen, showing the distribution of the splenic artery and its branches.

Section of the spleen, showing the termination of the small bloodvessels.

Posterior abdominal wall, after removal of the peritoneum, showing kidneys, suprarenal capsules, and great vessels.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Abbas MA, Stone WM, Fowl RJ, Gloviczki P, Oldenburg WA, Pairolero PC, Hallett JW, Bower TC, Panneton JM, Cherry KJ Splenic artery aneurysms: two decades experience at Mayo clinic. Ann Vasc Surg. 2002 Jul;16(4):442-9. PMID 12089631
  2. ^ Jamsheer NS, Malik M, Ruptured splenic artery aneurysm, URL: http://www.kfshrc.edu.sa/annals/215_216/01-094.htm, Accessed July 30, 2005.

[edit] External links

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