332 DISSECTION OF THE ABDOMEN. 



and is surrounded by the solar plexus of the sympathetic. Its 

 branches coronary, hepatic, and splenic radiate from the trunk 

 (whence the name axis) to their distribution to the surrounding 

 viscera (see also fig. 123). 



Coronary, The CORONARY ARTERY (fig. 124 (I) is the smallest of the three, and 

 which gives rung U p war( j s between the peritoneum and diaphragm to the cardiac 

 orifice of the stomach. Having furnished some resophageal branches, 

 it bends downwards, and passes between the layers of the small 

 omentum, along the small curvature of the stomach, to anastomose 

 with the pyloric branch (o) of the hepatic artery. Its offsets are thus 

 distributed : 



offsets to a- (Esophageal branches ascend on the gullet through the opening 

 phaguT" * n ^ e Diaphragm, and anastomose with branches of the descending 



thoracic aorta. 



and the & Gastric branches are given to both sides of the stomach, and those 



stomach. on th e left end communicate with twigs (vasa brevia) of the splenic 



artery. 



Splenic The SPLENIC ARTERY (e] is the largest branch of the coeliac axis in 



the adult. It is a tortuous vessel, and runs almost horizontally to 

 the spleen along the upper border of the pancreas (fig. 123). Near 

 the spleen it divides, into terminal branches, about seven in number 

 supplies the (from four to ten), which enter that viscus by the surface towards the 

 stomach. It is accompanied by the splenic vein, which is below it ; 

 and it distributes branches to the pancreas and the stomach, 

 the pancreas - Pancreatic branches. Numerous small branches are supplied to 

 ^ e pancreas ; and one of these (arteria pancreatica magna) sometimes 

 arises near the left end and runs to the right in the gland with the 

 duct ; but this artery is usually not larger than some others, 

 and the b. Gastric branches arise from the artery or its divisions near the 



stomach spleen, and pass to the stomach between the layers of the gastro- 

 brev^a, a splenic omentum. Most of these (vasa brevia} are small, and ramify 

 and left over tne ^ e ^ en( l ^ tne organ ; but one larger branch, the left gastro- 

 gastro- epiplok artery (/), turns to the right between the layers of the great 

 omentum, along the great curvature of the stomach, and inosculates 

 with the right gastro-e piplo'ic branch of the hepatic artery. This 

 artery distributes twigs to both surfaces of the stomach, and between 

 the pieces cf peritoneum forming the great omentum. 



Hepatic The HEPATIC ARTERY ((/) is intermediate in size between the other 



artery two ) and is encircled by the largest plexus of nerves. In its course 



theTiver, to tne liver, the vessel is directed at first to the right and forwards to 



the pyloric end of the stomach, where it supplies its gastric branches. 



in which it It then ascends between the layers of the small omentum, on the left 



lds> side of the bile-duct and portal vein, and divides near the transverse 



and supplies fissure of the liver into two the right and left hepatic. Branches 



are distributed not only to the liver, but also to the stomach, the 



duodenum, and the pancreas, as below : 



offsets to a. The gastro-duodenal artery (figs. 123 and 124) is a short vessel 

 which descends beneath the duodenum near the pylorus, and divides 

 into the two following branches : 



