Bronchial arteries
Branch · detail · T5–T6 2 left, 1 right
Small systemic arteries to the bronchi and lung tissue: usually two on the left from the descending aorta at about T5–T6, and one on the right that most often arises with the third right posterior intercostal artery. They carry the bronchial (not pulmonary) circulation and drain partly into pulmonary veins, a small physiological shunt.
Traced from the start
- Descending thoracic aorta
- Bronchial arteries
Detail
- Origin
- Left: directly from the descending aorta (T5–T6); right: usually the 3rd right posterior intercostal artery
- Supplies
- Bronchial walls to the respiratory bronchioles, visceral pleura, walls of the pulmonary vessels
When it goes wrong
Chronic inflammatory lung disease (bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, aspergilloma) hypertrophies the bronchial arteries
Massive haemoptysis is usually bronchial, not pulmonary, in origin; treated by bronchial artery embolisation
Practise this structure
3 questions in the bank tagged Thorax.
A 27-year-old man had an intercostal catheter inserted through the fifth intercostal space in the midaxillary line after a crush injury to the chest. Two weeks…
Foundations · middle twist
A 68-year-old man has become breathless over three weeks. He is examined sitting upright, and the right side of his chest expands less than the left. Bedside ul…
Foundations · middle twist
A 26-year-old man is referred after a harsh systolic murmur is heard at a pre-season sports medical. He has no symptoms and plays club football. Echocardiograph…
Foundations · common