Quick Facts
Origin: Superior mesenteric artery.
Course: Emerges near the distal end of the superior mesenteric artery, from its right side.
Branches: Ileal and colic branches.
Supplied Structures: Distal ileum, appendix, cecum, and inferior portion of ascending colon.
Origin
The ileocolic artery is the most distal of a series of three “colic” arteries that emerge from the right side of the superior mesenteric artery, near the root of the mesentery.
Course
The ileocolic artery descends within the mesentery towards the ileocecal junction.
Branches
The ileocecal artery terminates by bifurcating into ileal and colic branches.
Supplied Structures
The ileal branch supplies the ileocecal junction, appendix, cecum, and portion of ascending colon adjacent to the cecum. It anastomoses with the distal-most ileal artery. The colic branch supplies the inferior portion of the ascending colon. It anastomoses with the right colic artery. The profuse anastomoses between the ileocolic artery and neighboring arteries provide rich collateral circulation to the small and large intestine making it quite resistant to ischemia.
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Ileocolic Artery
The ileocolic artery, a branch of the cranial mesenteric artery, supplies the ileum, cecum, and ascending and transverse colon.
