Quick Facts
Sympathetic Contribution: Fibers from the thoracic cardiac branches and the greater splanchnic nerve.
Parasympathetic Contribution: Fibers from the vagus nerves.
Course: Surrounds the anterior and lateral portions of the descending thoracic aorta.
Contributing Nerves
The thoracic aortic plexus is formed by the contribution of fibers from the sympathetic trunk, via the thoracic cardiac branches and greater splanchnic nerve, and fibers from the vagus nerve (Standring, 2016).
Course
The thoracic aortic plexus descends on the anterior and lateral surface of the descending thoracic aorta as a fine, loose plexus. As it passes through the aortic hiatus of the respiratory diaphragm into the abdominal cavity, it becomes continuous with the abdominal aortic plexus.
Branches
There are no named branches; however, it does send twigs that accompany the branches of the descending thoracic aorta.
Supplied Structures & Function
It is unclear what role the thoracic aortic plexus plays.
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series: Elsevier Limited.
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Plexus
Visceral plexuses are a network of nerve fiber and ganglia surrounding organs of the abdomen and pelvis region that convey sympathetic, parasympathetic, and visceral afferent input.
