462 ABDOMEN 



anastomosing with the right gastric branch of the hepatic 

 artery. 



The branches of the left gastric artery are : 



1. CEsophageal. 



2. Gastric. 



Kami (Esophagei. Two or three cesophageal branches 

 may arise separately, or by a common trunk, from the left 

 gastric artery at the point where it reaches the stomach. 

 They pass upwards, through the cesophageal opening of the 

 diaphragm, upon the posterior aspect of the gullet, and 

 anastomose with the cesophageal branches of the thoracic 

 aorta. 



The gastric branches take origin from the trunk, as it 

 runs along the lesser curvature of the stomach, and are 

 distributed to both surfaces of this viscus. 



Vena Coronaria Ventriculi (Coronary Vein of the Stomach). 

 This vein accompanies the left gastric artery along the small 

 curvature of the stomach and behind the omental bursa to the 

 cceliac artery, then, continuing to the right, it crosses in front 

 of the aorta and joins the portal vein at the lower border 

 of the epiploic foramen (Winslow). 



Arteria Hepatica. The hepatic artery, intermediate in 

 size between the left gastric and splenic, at first takes a trans- 

 verse course, to the right, along the upper border of the pan- 

 creas. At the pylorus it changes its direction, and, turning 

 forwards, below the epiploic foramen (Winslow), in the right 

 pancreatico-gastric fold, it ascends between the two layers of 

 the lesser omentum. Near the porta hepatis it ends by 

 dividing into right and left hepatic arteries. The hepatic 

 artery is accompanied by numerous large nerve twigs derived 

 from the cceliac plexus, and, as it passes upwards to the 

 liver, it is in close relationship with the common bile duct 

 and the portal vein. The duct lies upon the right side of the 

 artery, and the vein lies behind both. (Fig. 170, p. 449, and 

 Fig. 172, p. 453.) 



The following are the branches of the hepatic artery : 



1. Right gastric. 



, , , f Superior pancreatico-duodenal. 



2. Gastro-duodenal. { R^ g J ro . ep i p ioi c . 



TT .- ( Right. -{ Cystic. 



3. Hepatic. | Le | t> 



The Arteria Gastrica Dextra is a small artery which springs 



