464 



THE ARTERIES OF THE ABDOMEN. 



toneum, and across the left kidney, to reach the descending colon. It divides into 

 two branches, which form a series of arches in the same way as the colic vessels of 

 the opposite side. One of these two branches passes upwards along the colon, and 

 inosculates with the left branch of the middle colic ; while the other descends and 

 anastomoses with the sigmoid artery. 



() The sigmoid artery runs obliquely downwards to the sigmoid flexure of the 

 colon, where it divides into branches, which form arches like the other arteries ; the 

 highest branch joins the left colic, the lower ones turn downwards to the rectum and 



Fig. 375. THE INFERIOR MESENTERIO ARTERY. (Tiedemann.) 



The jejunum and ileum with the superior mesenteric artery are turned towards the right side, the 

 pancreas is exposed, and the large intestine is stretched out : a, b, duodenum ; c, commencement of 

 the jejunum ; d, d, jejunum and ileum ; e, ascending colon ; /, transverse colon ; (j, descending colon ; 

 h, sigmoid flexure ; i, commencement of the rectum ; k, pancreas ; 1, placed on the trunk of the 

 abdominal aorta at the origin of the renal arteries ; I/, on the same at the origin of the inferior 

 mesenteric ; 1", near the division into the common iliac arteries : 2, inferior mesenteric, giving off the 

 left colic ; 3, ascending branch of the left colic ; 4, 4, descending branch of the same ; 5, sigmoid 

 artery ; 6, superior hsemorrhoidal artery ; 7, trunk of the superior mesenteric, issuing from behind 

 the pancreas ; 8, some of its intestinal branches ; 9, middle colic artery ; 10, its left branch, 

 forming a loop of communication with the left colic ; 11, its right branch ; 12, 12, spermatic 

 arteries. 



anastomose with the following artery, 

 three branches are sometimes present. 



Instead of a single sigmoid artery, two or 



