556 THE ARTERIES 



1. The Gastric Artery 



The gastric or coronary artery (fig. 365), the smallest of the three branches 

 into which the ccjeliac axis di\i(les, courses at first upwards and to the left towards 

 the cardiac end of the stomach, where it turns sharply round, and then, coasting 

 along the lesser curvature of the stomach, descends from left to right towards the 

 pylorus. It anastomoses with the superior jiyloric l^ranch of the hepatic artery, 

 which has proceeded from the opposite direction, the two branches thus forming a 

 continuous arterial arch corresponding to the lesser curvature of tlie stomach. 

 The artery at first lies behind the posterior layer of the lesser omental sac of peri- 

 toneum (fig. 364), but on reaching the cardiac end of the stomach it passes through 

 the so-called pancreatico-gastric fold of peritoneum into the lesser omentum, between 

 which it then runs to its terminal anastomosis Avith the pyloric. It is surrounded 

 1)V the coronary plexus of sympathetic nerves. 



The branches of the gastric artery are: — (1) The oesophageal; (2) the car- 

 diac; (3) the gastric; and (4) the hepatic. 



(1) The oesophageal branches, given ofif where the artery makes its bend on 

 to the stomach, ascend on the ipsophagus, and, i-'assing through the oesophageal 

 opening of the diaphragm, anastomose witli. the thoracic oesophageal branches and 

 the branches from the left phrenic. 



(2) The cardiac branches, two or more in number, are given off for the supply 

 of the cardiac end of the stomach, around which they form an anastomotic circle. 



(3) The gastric branches come off from the artery as it lies between the layers 

 of the lesser omentum, and are distributed to the front and back of the stomach 

 (the lesser anterior and posterior gastric branches), over which they ramify, 

 anastomosing with branches ascending from the right and left gastro-epiploic on 

 the greater curvature. One of these branches of larger size ramifies over the front 

 of the great cul-de-sac, the greater anterior gastric (Macalister), and anastomoses 

 with the vasa brevia and left gastro-epiploic from the splenic. 



(4) The hepatic branch is a constant small tAvig passing to the left lobe of the 

 liver, where it anastomoses with the left hepatic artery. 



Chief variations. — (A) The gastric may arise directly from the aorta, and may then give off 

 one of the phi'enics, or both, or a trunk common to tlie two. (B) There may he two gastric 

 arteries instead of one. (C) The gastric may give off the leit branch of the hepatic arterj'. This 

 api^ears to be due to the enlargement of the constantly present small hepatic branch, and the 

 oblit'^ration of part of the normal left branch of the hepatic artery. 



2. The Hepatic Artery 



The hepatic artery, the largest branch of the coeliac axis in the foetus, but in- 

 termediate in the adult between the gastric and the splenic, comes off on the right 

 side of the coeliac axis, and, winding upwards and to the right to the transverse or 

 portal fissure of the liver, there breaks up into two chief branches for the supply of 

 the riglit and left lobe of that organ. It at first courses forwards and to the right 

 along the upper border of the head of the pancreas, behind the posterior layer of 

 the lesser omental sac of peritoneum, to the upper margin of the duodenum, where, 

 at the base of the so-called right pancreatico-gastric fold, it jiasses l)etween the tAvo 

 layers of the lesser omentum, and thus ascends along with the hepatic duct which 

 lies to its right, and with the portal vein which lies behind it, to the transverse or 

 portal fissure of the liver. As it lies with the hepatic duct and portal vein between 

 the layers of the lesser omentum, it is in front of the so-called foramen of AMnslow. 



The branches of the hepatic artery are: — (1) The pancreatic; (2) the supe- 

 rior pyloric; (3) the gastro-duodenal; (4) the right tej-minal; and (5) the left 

 terminal. 



(1) The pancreatic, or lesser pancreatic branches as they are often called, 

 come off from the hepatic as it runs along tin- upjier margin of the jxancreas, and 

 su})ply tliat organ. 



(2) The superior pyloric comes oft' from the hepatic just as the latter vessel 

 enters the lesser omentum, and, descending between the two layers of that fold of 

 peritoneum to the pylorus, there turns leftwards, and, ascending horn riglit to left. 



