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Dissection of major arterial pathways

Anterior view

Dissection of aortic arch and its branches

Anterior view

The left ventricle pumps blood into the much larger

systemic circulation, which is distributed throughout

all the body’s tissues. Unlike the smaller pulmonary

Systemic Circuit

circuit, the extensive systemic circuit serves a multitude of functions before returning to the right atrium:

(1) it distributes the necessary nutrients and other supplies to all the body cells while removing their

metabolic wastes; (2) it acquires metabolic fuel through the lining of the digestive system to distribute

throughout the body; (3) it expels wastes and excess water and adjusts the body’s electrolyte composition through its association with the tubes of the kidney; (4) it distributes generated heat throughout

the body and plays an important role in adjusting heat loss to the external environment as it courses

through the skin; and (5) it distributes hormones, regulatory chemical-messenger molecules secreted

by endocrine glands, to various sites of action throughout the body.

 1 Aorta

 2 Brachiocephalic artery

 3 Right common carotid artery

 4 Right subclavian artery

 5 Right internal thoracic artery

 6 Left common carotid artery

 7 Left subclavian artery

 8 Left axillary artery

 9 Left brachial artery

10 Left ulnar artery

 11 Left radial artery

12 Left radial recurrent artery

13 Coeliac trunk

14 Common hepatic artery

15 Left gastric artery

16 Splenic artery

17 Superior mesenteric artery

18 Right renal artery

19 Left renal artery

20 Inferior mesenteric artery

21 Common iliac arteries

22 Internal iliac arteries

23 External iliac artery

24 Femoral artery

25 Deep femoral artery

26 Popliteal artery

27 Azygos vein

28 Thyroid gland

29 Trachea

30 Ligamentum arteriosum

31 Vagus nerve

32 Phrenic nerve

33 Anterior scalene muscle

34 Brachialis muscle

35 Brachioradialis muscle

36 Innermost intercostal muscles

37 Quadratus lumborum muscle

38 Psoas major muscle

39 Clavicle

40 First rib

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 1 Coronary sinus

 2 Right coronary artery

 3 Conus arteriosus branch

 4 Marginal branch

 5 Anterior interventricular artery

 6 Lateral branches

 7 Circumflex branch of left coronary

 8 Posterior interventricular artery

 9 Anterior cardiac vein

10 Great cardiac vein

 11 Posterior vein of left ventricle

12 Middle cardiac vein

13 Oblique vein

14 Aorta

Dissection of coronary arteries and cardiac veins

Anterior view

Dissection of coronary arteries, coronary sinus, and cardiac veins

Posterior view

The coronary arteries are the fi rst branches of the aorta. These important vessels

provide the constantly needed blood supply to the heart. The left coronary artery is,

on average, larger than the right coronary artery and supplies a greater percentage

Heart Vessels

of the heart tissue. Accompanying the branches of the coronary arteries, a series of cardiac veins emerge from the capillaries of the heart to return blood to the right atrial chamber, either by entering directly or by joining the large coronary sinus,

which enters the right atrium from the posterior side.

15 Pulmonary trunk

16 Superior vena cava

17 Left atrium

18 Right atrium

19 Right ventricle

20 Left ventricle

21 Pulmonary veins

22 Pulmonary artery

23 Inferior vena cava

24 Ligamentum arteriosum

25 Brachiocephalic artery

26 Left common carotid artery

27 Left subclavian artery

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 1 Internal carotid artery

 2 Basilar artery

 3 Vertebral artery

 4 Posterior cerebral artery

 5 Posterior communicating artery

 6 Middle cerebral artery

 7 Posterior inferior cerebellar artery

 8 Posterior superior cerebellar artery

 9 Common carotid artery

10 External carotid artery

 11 Superior thyroid artery

12 Ascending pharyngeal artery

13 Lingual artery

14 Facial artery

15 Occipital artery

16 Posterior auricular artery

17 Superficial temporal artery

18 Transverse facial artery

19 Maxillary artery

20 Optic chiasm

21 Thyroid gland

22 Trigeminal nerve

23 Lateral pterygoid muscle

24 Temporal lobe of cerebrum

25 Zygomatic arch

Dissection of branches of external carotid artery

Lateral view

Dissection of basilar artery

Inferior view

Like the heart, which needs a constant, uninterrupted blood

supply, the brain tissue also must be guaranteed of a continuous perfusion in order to maintain its crucial functions. The

Head Vessels

common carotid arteries, arising from the aortic arch, bifurcate into external and internal carotids. The

external carotid supplies all tissues of the head except the brain, while the function of the internal

carotid is to supply the brain. Because of the brain’s critical vascular needs the internal carotid artery

has a partner, the vertebral artery, which courses cranially from the subclavian artery to assist with the

essential blood supply to the brain.

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Head Vessels

Deep dissection series of head with facial and anterior neck anatomy

removed exposing internal carotid and vertebral arteries

Anterior views

 1 Internal carotid artery

 2 Vertebral artery

 3 Basilar artery

 4 Middle cerebral artery

 5 Anterior cerebral artery

 6 Anterior communicating artery

 7 Posterior communicating artery

 8 Cerebral veins

 9 Cerebellar veins

10 Superior sagittal sinus

 11 Transverse sinus

12 Inferior sagittal sinus

13 Sigmoid sinus

14 Opening of straight sinus

15 Confluence of the sinuses

16 Dura mater

17 Pia-arachnoid mater

18 Spinal cord

19 Vertebral body

20 Cervical transverse process

21 Temporal lobe of cerebrum

22 Pituitary gland

23 External acoustic meatus

24 Pons

25 Frontal lobe of cerebrum

26 Vagus nerve

27 Cervical sympathetic trunk

28 Superior cervical ganglion

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Unlike the internal and external carotid arteries, the internal and external jugular veins form a wide array of collateral circuitry.

The major structural difference of the venous pathways in the head is the existence of dural venous sinuses within the skull.

The dural venous sinuses are non-collapsible, endothelial lined spaces within the tough meningeal dura mater. All the

smaller veins draining capillaries within the brain tissue enter into the dural venous sinuses. These dural sinuses converge

with one another throughout the skull to exit the cranial vault via the internal jugular vein.

Dissections of dural venous sinuses and cerebral veins

Posterior view (top), lateral view (bottom)

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The arterial pathway into the upper

limb consists of a single, major arterial roadway that gradually tapers as

Superior Limb Vessels

Dissection of subclavian and axillary arteries

Anterior view

it gives rise to the various branches that supply the tissues of the limb. This large arterial roadway

begins as the subclavian artery, takes on regional names — the axillary artery and brachial artery —

as it tapers distally, then branches into the radial and ulnar arteries, which course through the antebrachium, paralleling the bones of the same names. The radial and ulnar arteries terminate as the

collateral arches in the hand. This central pathway through the limb is the sole blood supply to this

region, supplying the integument, muscles, bones, joints, and connective tissues of the upper limb.

The deep venous pathways follow the arteries and have similar names. However, superfi cial veins

that have no arterial counterparts aid the deep veins in returning blood to the heart.

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Dissection of subclavian and axillary arteries

Anterosuperior view

 1 Brachiocephalic artery

 2 Common carotid artery

 3 Vertebral artery

 4 Subclavian artery

 5 Thyrocervical trunk

 6 Inferior thyroid artery

 7 Ascending cervical artery

 8 Suprascapular artery

 9 Dorsal scapular artery

10 Axillary artery

 11 Superior thoracic artery

12 Thoracoacromial trunk

13 Pectoral artery

14 Acromial artery

15 Clavicular artery

16 Deltoid artery

17 Lateral thoracic artery

18 Subscapular artery

19 Circumflex scapular artery

20 Thoracodorsal artery

21 Posterior circumflex humeral artery

22 Anterior circumflex humeral artery

23 Brachial artery

24 Deep artery of arm

25 Internal thoracic artery

26 Internal thoracic vein

27 Anterior scalene muscle

28 Middle scalene muscle

29 Deltoid muscle

30 Pectoralis minor muscle

31 Pectoralis major muscle

32 Subscapularis muscle

33 Teres major muscle

34 Latissimus dorsi muscle

35 Serratus anterior muscle

36 Phrenic nerve

37 Brachial plexus

38 Clavicle

39 First rib

40 Suprascapular nerve

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