Abdominal Nerves and Vessels

Question 1

Parasympathetic innervation in abdominal cavity

Answer 1

Parasympathetic fibers in dorsal and ventral vagal trunks provide visceral motor innervation to abdominal viscera
Vagus nerve also carries visceral sensory fibers from abdominal viscera to brain

Question 2

Sympathetic innervation in abdominal cavity

Answer 2

Lumbar sympathetic trunk - courses from thoracic cavity to abdominal cavity through lumbocostal arch; becomes larger as it courses caudally

Splanchnic nerves composed of sympathetic neurons coursing between sympathetic trunk and ganglia in abdomen and visceral sensory neurons coursing to spinal cord

Major splanchnic n. - courses from thoracic cavity to abdominal cavity through lumbocostal arch

Minor splanchnic nn. - arise from last thoracic and first lumbar sympathetic ganglia; supply nerves to adrenal gland, ganglion, and plexus

Lumbar splanchnic nn. - arise from 2nd-5th lumbar sympathetic ganglia; course to aorticorenal, cranial mesenteric, and caudal mesenteric ganglia and plexuses

Question 3

Branches of abdominal aorta

Answer 3

Lumbar aa. - several paired aa.; supply lumbar region of spinal cord, meninges, lumbar muscles, and skin

Celiac a. - unpaired, arises from crura of diaphragm; supplies stomach and several other abdominal organs

Cranial mesenteric a. - unpaired; supplies small and large intestine

Phrenicoabdominal a. - paired; courses dorsal to adrenal gland; each artery branches into:
-caudal phrenic a. - to diaphragm
-cranial abdominal a. - to craniodorsal abdominal wall

Renal a. - paired; right renal a. arises cranial to left renal a.; supplies kidneys

Testicular/ovarian a. - paired; ovarian a. supplies ovary and gives rise to uterine branches; testicular a. courses to vaginal ring and then as part of spermatic cord to testis

Caudal mesenteric a. - unpaired; divides into left colic and cranial recta aa.; supplies distal region of intestinal tract

Question 4

Terminal branches of aorta

Answer 4

Deep circumflex iliac a. - paired; supplies caudodorsal region of abdominal wall

External iliac a. - paired; supplies pelvic limb

Internal iliac a. - paired; supplies pelvic cavity and pelvic limb

Median sacral a. - unpaired; continuation of aorta; continues in tail region as median caudal a.

Question 5

Blood supply to stomach and intestines

Answer 5

Celiac a.
Cranial mesenteric a.
Caudal mesenteric a.

Question 6

3 branches of celiac a.

Answer 6

Hepatic a.
Left gastric a.
Splenic a.

Question 7

Hepatic a.

Answer 7

Hepatic brs. - to the liver
-cystic a. - to the gall bladder

Right gastric a. - to lesser curvature of stomach, lesser omentum on right side, near pylorus

Gastroduodenal a.:
-Right gastroepiploic a. - to greater curvature of stomach and greater omentum on right side
-Cranial pancreaticoduodenal a. - to initial portion of duodenum and adjacent right lobe of pancreas

Question 8

Left gastric a.

Answer 8

To the lesser curvature of stomach on left side

Esophageal brs. to the esophagus

Question 9

Splenic a.

Answer 9

Pancreatic brs. - to left lobe of the pancreas

Splenic brs. - to the spleen

Short gastric aa. - to fundus of the stomach

Left gastroepiploic a. - to greater curvature of stomach and greater omentum on left side

Question 10

Structures supported by celiac a.

Answer 10

Esophagus (caudal portion)
Stomach
Duodenum (cranial portion)
Greater omentum
Lesser omentum
Liver
Gall bladder
Pancreas (left limb, body, cranial portion of right limb)
Spleen

Question 11

Cranial mesenteric a.

Answer 11

Common colic a. - to the colon

Caudal pancreaticoduodenal a. - to pancreas and distal part of duodenum

Jejunal aa. - to the jejunum

Ileal a. - to the ileum

Question 12

Caudal mesenteric a.

Answer 12

Divides into left colic and cranial rectal aa.

Left colic a. - to distal portion of descending colon

Cranial rectal a. - to initial rectum

Question 13

Blood supply to esophagus

Answer 13

Cervical region - cranial and caudal thyroid aa.

Thoracic region:
-Cranial 2/3’s - esophageal brs. from bronchoesophageal a.
-Caudal 1/3 - esophageal brs. from aorta and/or dorsal intercostal aa.

Terminal portion - esophageal br. of left gastric a.

Question 14

Veins draining into abdominal caudal vena cava

Answer 14

Lumbar vv.
Hepatic vv.
Phrenicoabdominal vv.
Renal vv.
Right testicular and ovarian vv.
Deep circumflex iliac vv.
Common iliac vv.

Question 15

Portal vein

Answer 15

Cranial and caudal mesenteric veins join to form portal v.
Gastroduodenal and splenic vv. drain into portal v.

Question 16

Abdominal lymph nodes

Answer 16

Lumbar lymphocenter
-Lumbar aortic and renal lnn.

Celiac lymphocenter
-Hepatic, splenic, gastric, pancreaticoduodenal lnn.

Cranial mesenteric lymphocenter
-Jejunal and colic lnn.

Caudal mesenteric lymphocenter
-Caudal mesenteric lnn.