Quick Facts
Origin: Splenic artery.
Course: Continue a short distance laterally into the hilum of the spleen and enters its parenchyma.
Branches: 4–5 segmental branches.
Supplied Structures: Spleen.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The splenic artery usually gives two branches, one superior and one inferior, before entering the parenchyma of the spleen at the hilum.
Course
The superior and inferior splenic branches pass a short distance left, lateral, into the hilum of the spleen and enter its parenchyma.
Branches
In the spleen parenchyma, the terminal splenic branches of the splenic artery give rise to 4–5 segmental branches. There is little anastomoses between arteries of individual segments such that ligation of a segmental branch leads to ischemia of that portion of the spleen (Pandey et al., 2004; Cortés and Gómez Pellico, 1988).
Supplied Structures
The splenic branches supply the spleen.
References
Cortés, J. A. and Gómez Pellico, L. (1988) 'Arterial segmentation in the spleen', Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 10(4), pp. 323-332.
Pandey, S. K., Bhattacharya, S., Mishra, R. N. and Shukla, V. K. (2004) 'Anatomical variations of the splenic artery and its clinical implications', Clin Anat, 17(6), pp. 497-502.
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Splenic Artery
The splenic artery is a branch of the celiac or cranial mesenteric artery which forms 25 branches that enter the spleen via the hilus.
