270 THE VASCULAR SYSTEMS 



The visceral branches : I. The celiac axis, inch long, divides 

 into the gastric, hepatic, and splenic. It is covered by the lesser 

 omen turn, rests below on the pancreas; on each side is a semi- 

 lunar ganglion, and on the right the lobus Spigelii, on the left 

 the stomach. 



Branches. (a) The gastric artery runs to the cardiac orifice, 

 thence to the right, along the lesser curvature, in the lesser 

 omentum as far as the pylorus. It supplies both surfaces of the 

 stomach and the esophagus, anastomosing with the splenic, 

 pyloric branch of the hepatic, and esophageal arteries. 



(6) The hepatic artery passes below the foramen of Winslow 

 to the pylorus, then ascends in the lesser omentum, anterior to 

 that foramen, and to the left of the gall duct, to the transverse 

 fissure of the liver, and divides into a right and a left branch. 

 Its pyloric branch passes along the lesser curvature to meet the 

 gastric. Its cystic branch from the right division ascends on 

 the neck of the gall-bladder and supplies it by two branches. 

 The other branch of the hepatic, the gastroduodenalis, divides 

 behind the lower part of the duodenum into a superior pancrc- 

 aticoduodcnal branch, descending between the pancreas and 

 duodenum to join the inferior artery of the same name; and the 

 gastroepiploica (le.rtra, passing into the omentum toward the 

 left, along the great curvature, to meet the sinistra. 



(c) The splenic runs tortuously to the left, along the upper 

 border of the pancreas, and divides near the spleen into branches 

 which enter at the hilum, some passing to the stomach. 



Branches. Pancreatic, numerous, small; and one larger, the 

 pancreatica magna, accompanies the duct of Wirsung. 



Five to seven vasa breria, in the gastrosplenic omentum, to the 

 great end of the stomach, joining the gastric and gastroepiploic 

 vessels. 



The gastroepiploica sinistra runs to the right, along the great 

 curvature, to join the dextra. 



II. The superior mesenteric supplies the small intestine except 

 the first part of the duodenum, as well as the cecum, and 

 ascending and transverse colon. Emerging from between the 

 transverse duodenum and pancreas, it crosses the former, and 

 descends in the mesentery to the right iliac fossa with its veins 

 and a plexus of nerves. It ends by anastomosing with its own 

 iliocolic branch. 



