RIGHT OVARIAN ARTERY

 

ORIGIN: Abdominal aorta.

COURSE/DISTRIBUTION: Arises from front of the aorta just below the origin of the renal artery and passes downwards in a long journey to the pelvis. It passes behind the peritoneum lying on the right psoas major and in front of the inferior vena cava and behind the distal part of duodenum, right colic artery, ileocolic artery, distal part of ileum and the root of mesentery. It then passes in front of the external iliac vessels at the level of the pelvic brim to enter the pelvis where it reaches the ovary by running in the suspensory ligament of the ovary and from the mesovarium, it breaks into branches which enter the ovary. But its trunk also gain access to the broad ligament of the uterus. At the broad ligament, it runs below the uterine tubes in the mesosalpinx and anastomoses with the uterine artery coming from the opposite direction. This anastomosis extends down to the cervix and includes the azygos vessels of the vagina. Other branches run into the deep inguinal ring and pass through the inguinal canal accompanying the round ligament of the uterus to the labium majus, after escaping from the superficial inguinal ring.

BRANCHES:

• Ureteric branch
• Branches to fat around kidney
• Ovarian branches
• Anastomotic branches to uterine artery
• Branches to inguinal canal

SHORT GASTRIC ARTERIES (Vasa brevia)

 

ORIGIN: Splenic artery

COURSE/DISTRIBUTION: About 7 of them arise from the end of the splenic artery and pass through the gastrosplenic ligament to reach the fundus of the stomach, which they supply. They anastomose with branches of left gastric and left gastroepiploic arteries.

BRANCHES: Nil.