Aorta Flashcards
What are the 3 layers of an artery?
Tunica intima, tunica media, and tunica adventitia
What is the first branch off abdominal aorta?
Celiac trunk
What does the celiac trunk branch off into?
Common hepatic artery and splenic artery
What is the 2nd branch off abdominal aorta?
Superior mesenteric artery (SMA)
Where is SMA located?
Posterior to splenic vein and pancreas
What is the 3rd branch off abdominal aorta?
Right and left renal arteries (RRA longer than LRA)
What is the 4th branch off abdominal aorta?
Inferior mesenteric artery (IMA)
What is the size of aorta?
3cm then as we go more distal becomes smaller gradually 0.8-1cm
Most common location for aortic aneurysm
Infra-renal aorta
Most common cause for aortic aneurysm
Atherosclerosis
What are the 2 types of aortic aneurysms?
Fusiform (bulges on both sides of the artery) and saccular (outpouching of the wall)
What is an aortic aneurysm?
Bulge in aorta that includes dilation of all 3 layers of the arterial wall
Aneurysms DO/DO NOT only occur in arteries.
DO
What is a dissecting artery?
Tear of tunica intima that creates a false lumen
