Quick Facts
Origin: Sympathetic trunk of lumbar region.
Course: Through four lumbar sympathetic ganglia, to the inferior mesenteric ganglion, intermesenteric and superior hypogastric plexuses.
Branches: No branches.
Supply: Sympathetic innervation to the vessels and viscera of the hindgut and pelvis.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The lumbar splanchnic nerves originate at the four lumbar sympathetic trunk ganglia. However, the axons that form these nerves emerge from the first and second lumbar nerves only.
Course
The lumbar splanchnic nerves run from the lumbar ganglia anteriorly towards a number of preaortic ganglia and plexuses in the abdomen. Many of the fibers terminate in the inferior mesenteric ganglion, intermesenteric, or superior hypogastric plexuses.
Branches
There are no branches of the lumbar splanchnic nerves.
Supplied Structures & Function
The lumbar splanchnic nerves provide sympathetic innervation to the vessels and viscera of the hindgut, kidneys, and genitals.
Visceral sensory fibers from these tissues return to the central nervous system via the lumbar splanchnic nerve.
