Splenic artery

At a glance

English

Splenic artery

Latin (TA2)

Arteria splenica

System

Artery

Region

Trunk

Side

Single, on the midline

About the splenic artery

The splenic artery, also called the lienal artery, is one of the three branches of the coeliac trunk and usually the widest of them. It leaves the trunk just below the diaphragm, at about the level of the first lumbar vertebra, and heads to the left behind the stomach. Its main job is to carry oxygen-rich blood to the spleen, but it feeds the pancreas and part of the stomach on the way.

Its most striking feature is its course. Rather than running straight, the vessel loops and coils as it follows the upper edge of the pancreas, and this tortuosity becomes more marked with age. It lies behind the peritoneum of the lesser sac, then turns forwards to pass between the two layers of the splenorenal (lienorenal) ligament before dividing near the hilum into several splenic branches. The splenic vein travels with it, lying a little lower and behind the pancreas, and joins the superior mesenteric vein to form the hepatic portal vein.

Along its path it sends many small pancreatic twigs into the body and tail of the pancreas, one of which is usually larger and is named the great pancreatic artery. Near the spleen it gives the short gastric arteries to the fundus of the stomach and the left gastro-omental artery, which runs along the great curve of the stomach. The left gastro-omental artery does not reach the lower end of that curvature: there it meets the right gastro-omental artery, which comes from the gastroduodenal artery, and the two join to form a continuous arch.

Aneurysm of the splenic artery is uncommon, yet among aneurysms inside the abdomen only those of the abdominal aorta and the iliac arteries are seen more often. Smoking and raised blood pressure add to the risk. Rupture is an emergency, and in patients unfit for open surgery the aneurysm may be closed from inside the vessel by an endovascular procedure.

Course and supply

Arises from

The coeliac trunk, as the largest of its three branches, just below the aortic hiatus.

Ends in

Divides at the hilum of the spleen into several splenic branches after passing through the splenorenal ligament.

Supplies

Supplies the spleen, the body and tail of the pancreas, the fundus of the stomach through the short gastric arteries, and the left half of the great curve of the stomach through the left gastro-omental artery.