566 



BLOOD-VASCULAR SYSTEM OF THE HORSE 



trunk. They supply the crura of the diaphragm. In some cases they arise in 

 common with an intercostal artery. 



BRANCHES OF THE ABDOMINAL AORTA 



The collateral branches of the abdominal part of the aorta are distributed 

 chiefly to the walls and contents of the abdominal cavity, but some branches are 

 supplied to the spinal cord and its membranes, and others extend into the pelvis 

 and to the scrotum. The visceral branches are the coeli^c, anterior mesenteric, 

 renal, posterior mesenteric, and the spermatic or utero-ovarian. The parietal 

 branches are the lumbar arteries. 



Fig. 448. — Plan of Branches of Cceliac Artkry of Horse. 

 1, Cceliac artery; 2, gastric artery; 3, hepatic artery; 4, splenic artery; 5, posterior gastric artery; 6, an- 

 terior gastric artery; 7, oesophageal branch; 5, gastro-duodenal artery; 9, pancreatico-duodenal artery; /O, right 

 gastro-epiploic artery; //, pyloric artery; 12, left gastro-epiploic artery; IS, short gastric branches of splenic. 



I. The cceliac artery or axis (A. coeliaca) is an unpaired vessel, usually half an 

 inch or less (ca. 1 cm.) in length, which arises from the ventral aspect of the aorta 

 at its emergence from the hiatus aorticus. It divides on the dorsal surface of the 

 pancreas into three branches — the gastric, hepatic, and splenic. 



1. The gastric artery (A. gastrica sinistra) passes downward and forward in 

 the gastro-phrenic ligament, gives off oesophageal and pancreatic branches, and 

 divides above and behind the cardia into anterior and posterior branches. 



(a) The anterior branch (Ramus cranialis) crosses the lesser curvature just to 

 the right of the cardia and ramifies on the parietal surface of the stomach. The 

 branches pursue a flexuous course toward the greater curvature and anastomose 

 with the short gastric arteries and the gastric branch of the hepatic artery. 



(6) The posterior branch (Ramus caudalis) is distributed in a similar fashion 

 on the visceral surface. 



