Superior mesenteric Artery
In human anatomy, the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is an artery which arises from the anterior surface of the abdominal aorta, just inferior to the origin of the celiac trunk, and supplies blood to the intestine from the lower part of the duodenum through two-thirds of the transverse colon, as well as the pancreas.
STRUCTURE
- It arises anterior to lower border of vertebra L1 in an adult. It is usually 1 cm lower than the celiac trunk. It initially travels in an anterior/inferior direction, passing behind/under the neck of the pancreas and the splenic vein. Located under this portion of the superior mesenteric artery, between it and the aorta, are the following:
- left renal vein - travels between the left kidney and the inferior vena cava (can be compressed between the SMA and the abdominal aorta at this location, leading to nutcracker syndrome).
- the third part of the duodenum, a segment of the small intestines (can be compressed by the SMA at this location, leading to superior mesenteric artery syndrome).
- uncinate process of pancreas - this is a small part of the pancreas that hooks around the SMA.
- The SMA typically runs to the left of the similarly named vein, the superior mesenteric vein. After passing the neck of the pancreas it starts giving off its branches.
| Branch | Supplies |
|---|---|
| inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery | head of the pancreas and to the ascending and inferior parts of the duodenum (proximal loop) |
| intestinal arteries | branches to ileum, branches to jejunum (proximal loop) |
| ileocolic artery | supplies last part of ileum, cecum, and appendix (distal loop) |
| right colic artery | to ascending colon (distal loop) |
| middle colic artery | to the transverse colon (distal loop) |
| 696 | Arteria mesenterica superior | Superior mesenteric artery | ||
| 697 | A. pancreaticoduodenalis inferior | Inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery | ||
| 698 | R. anterior | Anterior branch | ||
| 699 | R. posterior | Posterior branch | ||
| 700 | Aa. jejunales | Jejunal arteries | ||
| 701 | Aa. ileales | Ileal arteries | ||
| 702 | A. ileocolica | Ileocolic artery | ||
| 703 | A. caecalis anterior | Anterior caecal artery | ||
| 704 | A. caecalis posterior | Posterior caecal artery | ||
| 705 | A. appendicularis | Appendicular artery | ||
| 706 | R. ilealis | Ileal branch | ||
| 707 | R. colicus | Colic branch | ||
| 708 | A. colica dextra | Right colic artery | ||
| 709 | A. flexurae dextrae | Right flexural artery | ||
| 710 | A. colica media | Middle colic artery | ||
| 711 | A. marginalis coli; a. juxtacolica; arcus marginalis coli | Marginal artery; juxtacolic artery; marginal arcade |