Blood Supply of the

Gastrointestinal Tract
 1. Celiac Artery

• The lower one third of the

esophagus to the middle
of the second part of the
duodenum
• very short
• 12th thoracic vertebra
• surrounded by the celiac
plexus
• behind the lesser sac of
peritoneum.
• branches:
the left gastric, splenic,
and hepatic arteries
a. Left Gastric Artery

• runs to the cardiac

end of the stomach
• esophageal
branches
• along the lesser
curvature of the
stomach.
• It anastomoses with
the right gastric
artery
b. Splenic Artery

• runs to the left in a wavy

course
• along the upper border of
the pancreas
• behind the stomach.
Branches
Pancreatic branches
left gastroepiploic artery
short gastric arteries
The left gastroepiploic artery

• near the hilum of the spleen

• reaches the greater curvature of
the stomach in the gastrosplenic
omentum.
• along the greater curvature of
the stomach between the layers
of the greater omentum.
• It anastomoses with the right
gastroepiploic artery
The short gastric arteries

• five or six in number

• arise from the end of
the splenic artery and
reach the fundus of
the stomach in the
gastrosplenic
omentum.
• They anastomose with
the left gastric artery
and the left
gastroepiploic artery
c. Hepatic Artery

• runs forward and to the right

and then ascends
• At the porta hepatis it divides
into right and left branches to
supply the corresponding
lobes of the liver.

Branches:
The right gastric artery
The gastroduodenal artery
The right and left hepatic arteries
Branches of the Hepatic

The right gastric artery

• arises from the hepatic
artery at the upper border
of the pylorus
• runs to the left along the
lesser curvature of the
stomach
• It anastomoses with the left
gastric artery
The Gastroduodenal artery
• descends behind the first part of
the duodenum
• divides into:
right Gastroepiploic artery runs
along the greater curvature of the
stomach
superior pancreaticoduodenal
artery descends between the
second part of the duodenum and
the head of the pancreas .
The right and left hepatic
arteries
• enter the porta hepatis.
• The right hepatic artery
usually gives off the cystic
artery,
 2. Superior Mesenteric Artery

• The middle of the second part of

the duodenum as far as the
distal third of the transverse
colon.
• runs downward and to the right
behind the neck of the pancreas
and in front of the third part of
the duodenum.
• continues downward to the
right
• ends by anastomosing with the
ileal branch of its own ileocolic
branch
Branches:
The inferior pancreaticoduodenal
artery
• passes to the right
• along the upper border of the
third part of the duodenum and
the head of the pancreas.
• It supplies the pancreas and the
adjoining part of the duodenum.
The middle colic artery

• runs forward in the

transverse mesocolon
• supply the transverse
colon
• divides into right and
left branches
The right colic artery

• is often a branch of the

ileocolic artery.
• It passes to the right
• supply the ascending
colon
• divides into ascending and
descending branches
The ileocolic artery

• passes downward and to the

right.
superior branch anastomoses
with the right colic artery
inferior branch anastomoses
with superior mesenteric artery.
• The inferior branch gives rise to
the anterior and posterior cecal
arteries
• the appendicular artery is a
branch of the posterior cecal
artery
The jejunal and ileal
branches
• 12 to 15 in number
• arise from the left side of
the superior mesenteric
• branching and
anastomosis( arcades).
• Fewer arcades supply the
jejunum than supply the
ileum.
 3. Inferior Mesenteric Artery

• The distal one

third of the
transverse colon to
halfway down the
anal canal.
• runs downward
and to the left
• crosses the left
common iliac
artery (becomes
the superior rectal
artery
Branches
The left colic artery
• runs upward and to the
left
• distal third of the
transverse colon, the left
colic flexure, and the
upper part of the
descending colon
• ascending and descending
branches.
The sigmoid arteries
• two or three in
number
• descending and
sigmoid colon
The superior rectal artery
• continuation of the inferior mesenteric artery as it crosses the left
common iliac artery
• the rectum and upper half of the anal canal
• anastomoses with the middle rectal and inferior rectal arteries.
***Marginal Artery
• The anastomosis of the colic arteries
• ileocecal junction -------- superior rectal
artery
  
Venous Drainage
• drains to the liver by the portal venous system.
• The proximal tributaries drain directly into the portal vein
• distal tributaries correspond to the branches of the celiac artery and the
superior and inferior mesenteric arteries
 Hepatic Portal Vein
• drains lower third of the esophagus to halfway down the anal
canal
• enters the liver and breaks up into sinusoids
• The portal vein is about 2 in. (5 cm)
• union of the superior mesenteric and splenic veins behind the neck
of the pancreas
• ascends to the right, behind the first part of the duodenum, and
enters the lesser omentum.
• begins as a capillary plexus and ends as a capillary plexsus
 Tributaries of the Portal Vein
1. Splenic vein: leaves the
hilum of the spleen and
passes to the right in the
splenicorenal ligament
unites with the superior
mesenteric vein behind
the neck of the pancreas
to form the portal vein
receives the short gastric, left
gastroepiploic, inferior
mesenteric, and
pancreatic veins.
2. Inferior mesenteric vein:
• ascends on the posterior
abdominal wall and
• joins the splenic vein
• receives the superior
rectal veins, the sigmoid
veins, and the left colic
vein.
3. Superior mesenteric vein:
• ascends in the root of the
mesentery
• passes in front of the 3rd part of
the duodenum
• joins the splenic vein
• receives the jejunal, ileal,
ileocolic, right colic, middle colic,
inferior pancreaticoduodenal,
and right gastroepiploic veins
4. Left gastric vein
drains the left portion of the
lesser curvature of the
stomach and the distal
part of the esophagus.
5. Right gastric vein: drains
the right portion of the
lesser curvature of the
stomach
6. Cystic veins
drain the gallbladder directly
into the liver or join the
portal vein