Blood Supply

Question 1

What branches of the abdominal aorta supply the GI tract?

Answer 1

Coeliac trunk
Superior mesenteric artery
Inferior mesenteric artery

Question 2

What do the coeliac trunk supply?

Answer 2

Stomach, superior duodenum, liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas

Question 3

What does the coeliac trunk split into?

Answer 3

Smaller branches:
Common hepatic
Left gastric
Splenic arteries

Question 4

What does the superior mesenteric artery supply?

Answer 4

Midgut structures:
Small+large intestines from inferior duodenum to proximal half of transverse colon

Question 5

What do the branches of the superior mesenteric artery form?

Answer 5

Large loops called arcades in the mesentery

Question 6

What do the smaller arteries of the SMA supply?

Answer 6

Ileocolic artery = terminal ileum, caecum
Right colic artery = distal ascending colon
Middle colic artery = distal transverse colon

Question 7

What does the inferior mesenteric artery supply?

Answer 7

Hindgut structures:
Large intestines from proximal transverse colon to rectum

Question 8

What does the hepatic portal vein do?

Answer 8

Carries deoxygenated blood full of absorbed molecules from intestines to liver