Sympathetic trunk

Sympathetic trunk
Abdominal portion of the sympathetic trunk, with the celiac plexus and hypogastric plexus. (Sympathetic trunk labeled at center left.)
Scheme showing pathways (white/grey rami are spatially reversed, possibly for clarity?) of a typical spinal nerve. 1. Somatic efferent. 2. Somatic afferent. 3,4,5. Sympathetic efferent. 6,7. Parasympathetic afferent.
Details
Identifiers
Latin	truncus sympathicus
Dorlands /Elsevier	t_20/12826120
TA	A14.3.01.002
FMA	6258
*Anatomical terminology* [edit on Wikidata]

The sympathetic trunks (sympathetic chain, gangliated cord) are a paired bundle of nerve fibers that run from the base of the skull to the coccyx.

Structure

The sympathetic trunk lies just lateral to the vertebral bodies for the entire length of the vertebral column. It interacts with the anterior rami of spinal nerves by way of rami communicantes. The sympathetic trunk permits preganglionic fibers of the sympathetic nervous system to ascend to spinal levels superior to T1 and descend to spinal levels inferior to L2/3.

The superior end of it is continued upward through the carotid canal into the skull, and forms a plexus on the internal carotid artery; the inferior part travels in front of the coccyx, where it converges with the other trunk at a structure known as the ganglion impar.

Along the length of the sympathetic trunk are sympathetic ganglia known as paravertebral ganglia.

The sympathetic trunk (yellow) can be seen just lateral to the vertebral column.

Function

The sympathetic trunk is a fundamental part of the sympathetic nervous system, part of the autonomic nervous system. It allows nerve fibres to travel to spinal nerves that are superior and inferior to the one in which they originated. Also, a number of nerves, such as most of the splanchnic nerves, arise directly from the trunks.

Autonomic nervous supply to organs in the human body
Organ	Nerves^[1]	Spinal column origin^[1]
stomach	PS: anterior and posterior vagal trunks S: greater splanchnic nerves	T6, T7, T8, T9, sometimes T10
duodenum	PS: vagus nerves S: greater splanchnic nerves	T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, sometimes T10
pancreatic head	PS: vagus nerves S: thoracic splanchnic nerves	T8, T9
jejunum and ileum	PS: posterior vagal trunks S: greater splanchnic nerves	T5, T6, T7, T8, T9
colon	PS: vagus nerves and pelvic splanchnic nerves S: greater splanchnic nerves	T10, T11, T12 (proximal colon) L1, L2, L3, (distal colon)
spleen	S: greater splanchnic nerves	T6, T7, T8
vermiform appendix	nerves to superior mesenteric plexus	T10
gallbladder and liver	PS: vagus nerve S: celiac plexus right phrenic nerve	T6, T7, T8, T9
kidneys and ureters	PS: vagus nerve S: thoracic and lumbar splanchnic nerves	T11, T12

Additional images

The formation of the spinal nerve from the dorsal and ventral roots.
Dissection of side wall of pelvis showing sacral and pudendal plexuses.
Sacral plexus of the right side.
Diagram of efferent sympathetic nervous system.
Sympathetic connections of the ciliary and superior cervical ganglia.
Sacral sympathetic

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

1 2 Unless specified otherwise in the boxes, the source is: Moore, Keith L.; Agur, A. M. R. (2002). Essential Clinical Anatomy (2nd ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 199. ISBN 978-0-7817-5940-3.

External links

Anatomy figure: 21:04-04 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "The position of the right and left vagus nerves, and sympathetic trunks in the mediastinum."
Anatomy photo:43:15-0102 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "The Female Pelvis: The Posterolateral Pelvic Wall"
-1764753348 at GPnotebook
Atlas image: n3a6p1 at the University of Michigan Health System - "Autonomic Connections of the Spinal Cord"
Diagram at umm.edu

Anatomy of the autonomic nervous system

Head

Sympathetic	Ciliary ganglion: roots Sensory Sympathetic Short ciliary

Parasympathetic	Ciliary ganglion: roots Sensory Parasympathetic Short ciliary Pterygopalatine ganglion: deep petrosal nerve of pterygoid canal branches of distribution: greater palatine inferior posterior nasal branches lesser palatine nasopalatine medial superior posterior nasal branches pharyngeal Submandibular ganglion Otic ganglion

Neck

Sympathetic	paravertebral ganglia: Cervical ganglia Superior Middle Inferior Stellate ganglion prevertebral plexus: Cavernous plexus Internal carotid

Chest

Sympathetic	paravertebral ganglia: Thoracic ganglia prevertebral plexus: Cardiac plexus Esophageal plexus Pulmonary plexus Thoracic aortic plexus splanchnic nerves: cardiopulmonary thoracic cardiac nerves: Superior Middle Inferior

Abdomen

Sympathetic	paravertebral ganglia: Lumbar ganglia prevertebral ganglia: Celiac ganglia Aorticorenal Superior mesenteric ganglion Inferior mesenteric ganglion prevertebral plexus: Celiac plexus Hepatic Splenic Pancreatic aorticorenal Abdominal aortic plexus Renal/Suprarenal Superior mesenteric Gastric Inferior mesenteric Spermatic Ovarian Superior hypogastric hypogastric nerve Superior rectal Inferior hypogastric Vesical Prostatic / Cavernous nerves of penis Uterovaginal Middle rectal splanchnic nerves: Lumbar splanchnic nerves

Enteric	Submucous plexus Myenteric plexus

Pelvis

Sympathetic	paravertebral ganglia: Sacral ganglia Ganglion impar splanchnic nerves: Sacral splanchnic nerves

Parasympathetic	splanchnic nerves: Pelvic splanchnic nerves

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