THE SUPERIOR MESENTERIC ARTERY 



597 



Fig. 483. — The Blood-vessels op the Ileo-c^cal Region. (From Kelly.) 

 (Arteries red, veins blue.) The peritoneal covering is removed so as to show the vessels more 

 clearly. Above and to the right are seen the cut ends of the ileo-cohc artery and vein. This 

 artery gives off a branch to the ascending colon and a posterior and anterior csecal artery, 

 the latter descending through the ileo-colic fold. A short anastomosis connects the ileo- 

 cohc with the mesenteric. The artery of the vermiform process (appendix) is seen to 

 arise from the posterior c£ecal artery, 2 cm. above the ileum. It passes behind the ileum 

 in the free border of the mesappendix and gives off five branches (long appendices have 

 8-12, short appendices, 2-3), which traverse the mesappendix at fairly regular intervals 

 in the direction of the hilus of the appendix, where they divide into anterior and posterior 

 branches. The branches in the mesappendix are sometimes seen to anastomo.se, forming 

 loops of varying size. The terminal branch curves around the tip. The cseco-appendicular 

 junction is supphed by a separate branch arising Ukewise from the posterior ileo-csecal trunk. 

 This branch may or may not anastomose with the proximal appendicular twig and while 

 in some cases it supplies only the cacum, in others, as in the present case, it sends a few 

 dehcate branches into the appendix. At the place where this cseco-appendicular artery 

 crosses the ileo-csecal fold it is seen to give off a dehcate recurrent twig to this structure. 

 Throughout their entire course the arteries are accompanied by veins. 



