Splenic artery
Branch
Largest coeliac branch. Runs a tortuous course along the superior border of the pancreas behind the stomach and lesser sac, enters the splenorenal ligament and ends in segmental splenic branches. Gives pancreatic branches, short gastric and left gastro-omental arteries on the way.
Traced from the start
- Abdominal aorta
- Coeliac trunk
- Splenic artery
Detail
- Supplies
- Spleen, body and tail of pancreas, fundus (short gastrics), greater curvature (left gastro-omental)
- Course
- Superior border of pancreas, posterior wall of lesser sac, splenorenal ligament
- Branches
- Dorsal, great and caudal pancreatic; 5–7 short gastric; left gastro-omental; terminal splenic segmental branches
When it goes wrong
Splenic artery aneurysm — commonest visceral aneurysm; multiparous women, portal hypertension, fibromuscular dysplasia
Rupture, most often in the third trimester of pregnancy: sudden LUQ pain and collapse, classically a 'double rupture' into the lesser sac then peritoneum, with very high maternal and fetal mortality
Pancreatitis or a pancreatic pseudocyst erodes the artery lying along the gland
Pseudoaneurysm bleeding into the cyst or pancreatic duct (haemosuccus pancreaticus) — sudden shock in a known pancreatitis patient; treated by embolisation
Practise this structure
1 question in the bank tagged Arterial Supply.