Pertinent blood vessel routes

PERTINENT BLOOD VESSEL ROUTES

When thinking about blood vessel routes, think about the path blood takes as it flows through vessels to some destination in the body. This is like giving directions to someone on how to drive somewhere. Name the vessels through which blood flows to get to a body part. The following is by no means a complete listing of blood vessels.

UPPER EXTREMITIES
ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE LEFT UPPER EXTREMITY
left ventricle  ascending aorta  aortic arch  left subclavian artery  axillary artery  brachial artery  ulnar artery or radial artery  superficial and deep palmar arches  palmar metacarpal and palmar digital arteries

DEEP VENOUS RETURN FROM THE LEFT UPPER EXTREMITY
palmar digital and palmar metacarpal veins  superficial or deep palmar venous arches  radial or ulnar veins  brachial vein  axillary vein  subclavian vein  left brachiocephalic vein  superior vena cava  right atrium

SUPERFICIAL VENOUS RETURN FROM THE LEFT UPPER EXTREMITY

palmar digital and palmar metacarpal veins  dorsal venous network  (2 paths)

1 - cephalic vein  subclavian vein  brachiocephalic vein  superior vena cava

2 - basilic vein  brachial vein  axillary vein  subclavian vein  brachiocephalic

vein  superior vena cava  right atrium

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ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE RIGHT UPPER EXTREMITY
left ventricle  ascending aorta  aortic arch  brachiocephalic artery  right subclavian artery  axillary artery  brachial artery  ulnar artery or radial artery  superficial and deep palmar arches  palmar metacarpal and palmar digital arteries
DEEP VENOUS RETURN FROM THE RIGHT UPPER EXTREMITY
palmar digital and palmar metacarpal veins  superficial or deep palmar venous arches  radial or ulnar veins  brachial vein  axillary vein  subclavian vein  right brachiocephalic vein  superior vena cava  right atrium

SUPERFICIAL VENOUS RETURN FROM THE RIGHT UPPER EXTREMITY

palmar digital and palmar metacarpal veins  dorsal venous network  (2 paths)

1 - cephalic vein  subclavian vein  brachiocephalic vein  superior vena cava

2 - basilic vein  brachial vein  axillary vein  subclavian vein  brachiocephalic

vein  superior vena cava  right atrium

LOWER EXTREMITIES
ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE LOWER EXTREMITIES
left ventricle  ascending aorta  aortic arch  thoracic aorta  abdominal aorta  common iliac artery  external iliac artery  femoral and deep femoral arteries  popliteal artery  anterior tibial or posterior tibial arteries  dorsal pedal artery or lateral and medial plantar arteries  plantar arch  digital arteries

DEEP VENOUS RETURN FROM THE LOWER EXTREMITIES
digital and metacarpal veins  dorsal venous arch and plantar veins  dorsal pedal vein  anterior tibial vein  popliteal vein  femoral vein  external iliac vein  common iliac vein –> inferior vena cava  right atrium

SUPERFICIAL VENOUS RETURN FROM THE LOWER EXTREMITIES

digital and metacarpal veins  dorsal venous arch and plantar veins  small and great saphenous veins  femoral vein  external iliac vein  common iliac vein  inferior vena cava  right atrium

THE BRAIN
ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE LEFT BRAIN
left ventricle  ascending aorta  aortic arch  left common carotid artery  left internal carotid artery  circle of Willis

left ventricle  ascending aorta  aortic arch  left subclavian artery  left vertebral artery  basilar artery  circle of Willis

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE RIGHT BRAIN
left ventricle  ascending aorta  aortic arch  brachiocephalic artery  right common carotid artery  right internal carotid artery  circle of Willis

left ventricle  ascending aorta  aortic arch  brachiocephalic artery  right subclavian artery  right vertebral artery  basilar artery  circle of Willis

VENOUS RETURN FROM THE BRAIN
dural sinuses  internal jugular vein  brachiocephalic vein  superior vena cava  right atrium


THE HEAD AND NECK (not the brain)
ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE LEFT HEAD AND NECK
left ventricle  ascending aorta  aortic arch  left common carotid artery  left external carotid artery  (a number of branches that supply the head and neck)

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE RIGHT HEAD AND NECK
left ventricle  ascending aorta  aortic arch  brachiocephalic artery  right common carotid artery  right external carotid artery  (a number of branches that supply the head and neck)

VENOUS RETURN FROM THE HEAD AND NECK
various branches draining the head and neck  right external jugular vein  subclavian vein  brachiocephalic vein  superior vena cava  right atrium


THE THORACIC WALL
ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO LEFT ANTERIOR THORACIC WALL
left ventricle  ascending aorta  aortic arch  left subclavian artery  internal thoracic artery  11 anterior intercostal arteries

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE RIGHT ANTERIOR THORACIC WALL

left ventricle  ascending aorta  aortic arch  brachiocephalic artery  right subclavian artery  internal thoracic artery  11 anterior intercostal arteries

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE LEFT POSTERIOR THORACIC WALL AND THORACIC VISCERA

left ventricle  ascending aorta  aortic arch  thoracic aorta  (several branches given off as the aorta passes respective structures)

1. right and left bronchial arteries

2. 11 pairs of posterior intercostal arteries

3. a series of esophageal arteries

VENOUS RETURN OF THE THORACIC WALL AND THE THORACIC VISCERA
intercostal veins and esophageal veins  azygos veins  superior vena cava  right atrium
blood from the bronchial arteries joins the flow from the pulmonary blood flow


THE ABDOMINAL VISCERA
ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO PAIRED ORGANS OF THE ABDOMINAL CAVITY
left ventricle  ascending aorta aortic arch  thoracic aorta  abdominal aorta  (several branches given off as the aorta passes respective structures)

1. right and left inferior phrenic arteries

2. right and left superior, middle, and inferior suprarenal arteries

3. right and left renal arteries

4. right and left gonadal arteries (gonads originated near the kidneys)

5. a series of lumbar arteries to the body wall

VENOUS RETURN FROM THE PAIRED ORGANS OF THE ABDOMINAL CAVITY
paired venous branches corresponding to the arterial supply join the inferior vena cava  right atrium

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE UNPAIRED ORGANS OF THE ABDMINAL CAVITY
left ventricle  ascending aorta  thoracic aorta  abdominal aorta  3 branches from superior to inferior:

1. celiac trunk gives rise to three branches:

a. common hepatic artery to the liver

b. splenic artery to the spleen

c. left gastric artery

2. superior mesenteric artery supplies all of the small intestine and the large

intestine to the splenic flexure

3. inferior mesenteric artery supplies the large intestine from the splenic

flexure to the rectum

VENOUS RETURN FROM THE UNPAIRED ORGANS OF THE ABDOMINAL CAVITY

blood from the large intestine from the splenic flexure to the rectum empties into the

inferior mesenteric vein  splenic vein

blood from the rest of the large intestine, the small intestine, and the pancreas 

superior mesenteric vein

the splenic vein and the superior mesenteric vein unite to form the hepatic portal vein
the gastric veins join the hepatic portal vein
the hepatic portal vein dumps its blood into the liver sinusoids for processing  hepatic

vein  inferior vena cava  right atrium

THE PELVIC STRUCTURES
ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE STRUCTURES OF THE PELVIC CAVITY
left ventricle  ascending aorta aortic arch  thoracic aorta  abdominal aorta  common iliac artery  internal iliac artery  various organs and structures

VENOUS RETURN FROM THE STRUCTURES OF THE PELVIC CAVITY

various organs and structures  internal iliac vein  common iliac vein  inferior vena

cava  right atrium