Bronchial artery

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Artery: Bronchial artery
Bronchial artery labeled at center right
Latin Arteriae bronchiales,
rami bronchiales partis thoracicae aortae
Gray's p.600
Supplies Lungs
Source Thoracic aorta   
Vein Bronchial veins

In human anatomy, the bronchial arteries supply the lungs with nutrition and oxygenated blood. Although there is much variation, there are usually two bronchial arteries that run to the left lung, and one to the right lung.

Origin

The left bronchial arteries (superior & inferior) usually arise directly from the thoracic aorta.

The single right bronchial artery usually arises from one of the following:

  • 1) the thoracic aorta at a common trunk with the right 3rd posterior intercostal artery
  • 2) the superior bronchial artery on the left side
  • 3) any number of the right intercostal arteries mostly the third right posterior.

Distribution to lung

The bronchial arteries supply blood to the bronchi and connective tissue of the lungs. They travel with and branch with the bronchi, ending about at the level of the respiratory bronchioles. They anastomose with the branches of the pulmonary arteries, and together, they supply the visceral pleura of the lung in the process.

Note that much of the blood supplied by the bronchial arteries is returned via the pulmonary veins rather than the bronchial veins.

Each bronchial artery also has a branch that supplies the esophagus.

Comparison with pulmonary arteries

It is easy to confuse the bronchial arteries with the pulmonary arteries, because they both supply the lungs with blood, but there are important differences:

artery function circulation diameter
pulmonary arteries supplies deoxygenated blood pumped from the right ventricle pulmonary circulation relatively large
bronchial arteries supplies oxygenated blood pumped from the left ventricle systemic circulation relatively small

Clinical relevance

The bronchial arteries are typically enlarged and tortuous in chronic pulmonary thromboembolic hypertension.[1]

The bronchial arteries are usually not reconnected following lung transplantation[2]

Aneurysms of the bronchial artery may mimic aortic aneurysms.[3]

See also

References

  1. Kauczor H, Schwickert H, Mayer E, Schweden F, Schild H, Thelen M (1994). "Spiral CT of bronchial arteries in chronic thromboembolism". J Comput Assist Tomogr 18 (6): 855–61. doi:10.1097/00004728-199411000-00002. PMID 7962789. 
  2. Nowak et al. Bronchial Artery Revascularization affects Graft Recovery after Lung Transplant. AJRCCM Vol 165. Number 2, Jan 2002
  3. Vernhet H, Bousquet C, Jean B et al. (1999). "Bronchial aneurysms mimicking aortic aneurysms: endovascular treatment in two patients". Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 22 (3): 254–7. doi:10.1007/s002709900378. PMID 10382061. 

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.