Unique collateralisation between the left internal thoracic artery and the coeliac artery
S Patel1, R McWilliams1, S Neequaye1
1Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
Abstract:
Collateralisation around stenotic or occlusive arterial disease is a commonly observed adaptation for maintenance of arterial perfusion. It occurs through pathways of well-understood embryological origin. Examples include Winslow's pathway (internal thoracic artery to iliac artery via the epigastric arteries) and the arc of Riolan (between superior and inferior mesenteric arteries). In this article, we describe a pathway of collateralisation around stenotic disease of the coeliac and superior mesenteric arteries in a 76-year-old man with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The collateral pathway was identified on computed tomography angiography between the left internal thoracic artery in the thorax and the coeliac artery in the abdomen via the left inferior phrenic artery. This has implications for routine cardiac surgery, such that left internal thoracic artery harvest during coronary artery bypass surgery would likely result in acute ischaemia of the abdominal viscera.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Abdominal Aorta
The celiac trunk, a singular artery, divides into the left gastric artery, which...
Thoracic Aorta
The Arch of Aorta
Encircling the heart, the coronary arteries form a ring-like structure before...
Veins of Thorax
The azygos vein, positioned just right of the midline and anterior to the vertebral column, begins at the junction of the right ascending lumbar and subcostal veins, terminating in the superior vena cava. This vein drains blood from the right side of the thoracic wall, thoracic viscera, and posterior abdominal wall.
The...
Blood Supply to the Digestive System
Blood Supply to the Digestive System: The splanchnic circulation involves three main arteries: the celiac artery (also known as the celiac trunk) and the superior and inferior mesenteric...
Arteries of the Upper Limbs


