The celiac trunk (lat.truncus coeliacus) is the most important artery that nourishes all the organs of the abdominal cavity, more precisely its upper floor. He departs from the aorta at the level of the twelfth thoracic vertebra in the region of the aortic opening of the diaphragm. It is rather short, about 2 cm, but with a fairly thick artery. After its retreat, the trunk is divided into three branches on the upper edge of the pancreas.
The first branch is the left gastric artery (Latin a. gastrica sinistra). This vessel goes to the stomach, its small curvature, feeding it, and also gives twigs to the ventral part of the esophagus.
Further, the celiac trunk becomes a source ofone - a common hepatic artery (Latin a., hepatica communis). It goes to the duodenum, where after the recoil of the gastroduodenal artery (Latin a. gastroduodenalis) continues its course in the form of its own hepatic (Latin a.hepatica propria) and reaches the gates of the liver. This artery lies in the hepatic-duodenal ligament, where its neighbors are the portal vein and, of course, the common bile duct. In the gates of the liver, the vessel divides into two branches, correspondingly to the liver: the right and left. From the right branch originates the cystic artery (Latin a.cystica), which goes to the gall bladder. In addition, the right gastric (Latin a gastrica dextra) starts from the common or own liver artery, which keeps the path to the stomach, more precisely its small curvature, connecting there with the vessel of the same name on the left side. The aforementioned gastroduodenal artery gives rise to two branches: the superior pancreatoduodenalis superior and the right gastro-omental artery (Latin a. gastroepiploica dextra). The first of them goes to the stomach, its great curvature, and gives the branch to it and the omentum. The second is more often a group of stem cells that branch into the pancreas and, in addition, in the duodenum.
And, finally, the third branch is the splenic artery(Latin a. lienalis). She goes to the spleen, giving off small twigs along the way to the pancreas. Going to the gates of the spleen, it is divided into 5-8 small arteries, which branch out into the organ. Before separation, the left gastro-omental artery (Latin a. gastroepiploica sinistra) separates from it, which, on a large curvature, anastomoses with the vessel of the same name on the right side. In addition, to the stomach from the splenic artery there are short gastric arteries (Latin aa. Gastricae breves).
The celiac trunk, thanks to numerousanastomoses of their branches, provides adequate and complete blood supply to organs of the upper floor. Unfortunately, this important vessel is not insured against problems. One of them is stenosis. The celiac trunk, despite its thickness, under the influence of some factors can narrow the lumen, which is the cause of health problems. Narrowing can occur as a result of the deposition of atherosclerotic plaques on the inner wall of the trunk. This pathology is manifested by unclear pain in the abdomen, swelling and other characteristic phenomena. It is diagnosed by angiography. Not only this can cause stenosis of the celiac trunk. There is a disease called Dunbar's syndrome. Because of the congenital anomaly of one of the ligaments of the diaphragm, this important branch of the aorta is compressed. With angiography, stenosis is noted at the site of compression and expansion immediately after it. The celiac trunk, becoming a victim of this anomaly, gives the following clinical picture. Patients note aching pain in the abdomen, nausea, flatulence and vomiting, sometimes there are diarrhea. In addition, the symptomatology inherent in acute pancreatitis is possible: severe pain, vomiting, fever.
Stenosis of this artery is very dangerous, becauseit feeds important organs: the liver, spleen, stomach, etc. Lack of their blood supply can cause serious and irreversible consequences, even death. Therefore, every person should take with full attention to unexplained abdominal pain.
