Right colic artery
Arteria colica dextra
A colic offshoot of the superior mesenteric artery, running rightwards on the posterior abdominal wall to feed the ascending colon and its flexure.
At a glance
- English
- Right colic artery
- Latin (TA2)
- Arteria colica dextra
- System
- Artery
- Region
- Trunk
- Side
- Single, on the midline
About the right colic artery
The right colic artery is one of the colic branches given off from the right side of the superior mesenteric artery, between the middle colic artery above and the ileocolic artery below. It may leave the middle of the concave right side of its parent directly, or come from a short trunk it shares with the ileocolic or middle colic artery. It is the least constant of the colic branches and is absent in a fair proportion of people, its field then being taken over by its neighbours.
From its origin it heads right, lying under the parietal peritoneum of the posterior abdominal wall. On the way it passes in front of the right gonadal vessels, the right ureter and psoas major, making for the midpoint of the ascending colon. When it arises higher, it may cross the descending duodenum and the right kidney's lower pole.
Near the bowel it divides. The descending branch runs down to join the ileocolic artery, and the ascending branch runs up to join the right branch of the middle colic artery near the right colic flexure. The arches formed by these joins are part of the marginal artery of the colon, and from their outer side short straight vessels pass into the wall of the ascending colon. When a stretch of the superior mesenteric artery fails to develop, the right colic artery can carry blood on to part of the ileum.
In a right hemicolectomy, the operation that removes the caecum and ascending colon, usually for cancer, the surgeon ties and divides this artery close to where it leaves the superior mesenteric artery so that the lymph nodes along it are removed with the specimen. Its variable origin, and the chance that it is missing, mean surgeons identify the colic branches one by one before dividing them. Care is also needed for the ureter, gonadal vessels and duodenum lying behind it.
Course and supply
- Arises from
- Leaves the right side of the superior mesenteric artery, directly or from a trunk shared with the ileocolic or middle colic artery.
- Ends in
- Divides near the ascending colon into a descending branch joining the ileocolic artery and an ascending branch joining the middle colic artery.
- Supplies
- Feeds the ascending colon and the right colic flexure.
Anthromica
See the right colic artery where it really sits, with every layer of the body around it.
- Every layer, one body. Peel from muscle to bone, nerve, vessel and organ, and turn it any way.
- English and Latin. Every structure named the way your exam names it.
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