Splenic artery !

The splenic artery is a winding branch of the celiac trunk that runs along the top of the pancreas to the spleen, feeding both.

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What it is

A winding artery running behind the stomach along the top of the pancreas to the spleen.

What it does

Supplies the spleen, part of the stomach and the body and tail of the pancreas.

Key facts

Origin: Celiac trunk (largest branch); tortuous course along upper border of pancreas to splenic hilum via splenorenal ligament
Branches: Pancreatic branches (dorsal, great pancreatic, caudal), short gastrics, left gastroepiploic, splenic branches at hilum
Supplies: Spleen, body and tail of pancreas, fundus and left greater curvature of stomach

Relations

Course: Runs left from the celiac trunk, looping along the upper border of the pancreas behind the stomach, crosses in front of the left adrenal gland and left kidney, then passes with the pancreatic tail in the splenorenal ligament to the splenic hilum
In front: Stomach, with the lesser sac between them
Behind: Left crus of the diaphragm, left adrenal gland and upper pole of the left kidney
Below: Body and tail of the pancreas, with the splenic vein below and behind the artery

How to find it

Too deep to feel. In surgery the lesser sac is entered through the gastrocolic ligament, and the artery appears as a winding vessel along the upper border of the pancreas, with the splenic vein below and behind it; near the hilum its branches run in the splenorenal ligament.

On imaging

A plain abdominal film may show a curly calcified artery or a ring-shaped calcification in the left upper quadrant (aneurysm). CT angiography shows aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms; in splenic trauma, a contrast blush on CT can be treated by splenic artery embolization.

Common problems

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA): a silent widening, more common in older men who smoke; rupture is life-threatening.

How it is diagnosed

Ultrasound screening; CT.

Treatment

Monitoring of small aneurysms; repair with a stent-graft through the groin arteries or open surgery for large ones.

Clinical notes

Pancreatitis can erode it into a pseudoaneurysm, which may bleed into a pseudocyst, the pancreatic duct or the gut
In splenic trauma, embolization of the main trunk lowers pressure in the spleen while the short gastric arteries keep it alive
At splenectomy, tying the artery early along the upper pancreatic border shrinks a large spleen; the pancreatic tail at the hilum can be injured, causing a fistula
Splenic artery aneurysms are also linked with portal hypertension and liver transplant candidates

Anatomical variants

May arise from the aorta or the superior mesenteric artery (uncommon), or share a hepatosplenic trunk with the common hepatic artery
Branching at the hilum varies: a long trunk dividing late into a few branches, or early division into many long branches

Splenic injury

Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

What is the course of the splenic artery?

The largest celiac branch, it winds left along the upper border of the pancreas behind the stomach, then runs with the pancreatic tail in the splenorenal ligament to the splenic hilum.

What are the branches of the splenic artery?

Pancreatic branches (dorsal, great pancreatic, caudal), short gastric arteries, the left gastro-omental artery and the splenic branches at the hilum.

What are the key features of splenic artery aneurysm?

The commonest visceral artery aneurysm; more frequent in women, and rupture in pregnancy (mostly the third trimester) is dangerous for mother and fetus.

Why does embolization of the main splenic artery trunk not kill the spleen?

It lowers pressure in the spleen while the short gastric arteries keep it alive; used for splenic trauma with a contrast blush on CT.

Why does blocking a branch inside the spleen give a wedge-shaped infarct?

The splenic artery branches inside the spleen are end arteries.

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Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.

Its names

Official Latin (TA2): arteria splenica TA2 4239
Official Spanish (DeCS): Arteria esplénica DeCS D013157
English (TA2): Splenic artery

Sources: Terminologia Anatomica (TA2); DeCS; Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis: Celiac Trunk; Anatomy of the Human Body (20th ed.): The Abdominal Aorta (Lea & Febiger (Gray's Anatomy, 1918), 1918) · adapted, Public domain.

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.

Splenic artery highlighted on the Durgical 3D model