Superior epigastric artery
The superior epigastric artery is one of two terminal branches of the internal thoracic artery with the other being the musculophrenic artery.
Gross anatomy
Origin and course
The superior epigastric artery originates at the level of the sixth or seventh costal cartilage. It descends to the anterior abdominal wall, crossing the diaphragm in the interval between the sternal and the costal parts of the muscle. Here it lies anterior to the transverse abdominis muscle and perforates the rectus abdominis muscle.
The superior epigastric artery anastomoses with the inferior epigastric artery, which is a branch of the external iliac artery, providing an important alternate blood supply if the aorta becomes occluded (see: coarctation of the aorta).
Branches
Branches of the superior epigastric artery perforate the rectus sheath and supply the skin of the abdomen.
Supplies
- anterior abdominal wall
- skin of the abdomen
Related Radiopaedia articles
Anatomy: Thoracic
- thoracic skeleton
- thoracic cage
- thoracic spine
- articulations
- muscles of the thorax
- diaphragm
- intercostal space
- intercostal muscles
- variant anatomy
- spaces of the thorax
- thoracic viscera
- tracheobronchial tree
-
lungs
-
bronchopulmonary segmental anatomy (Boyden Classification) (mnemonic)
- left lung
- right lung
- variant anatomy
- lung parenchyma
- hilum
- pleura
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bronchopulmonary segmental anatomy (Boyden Classification) (mnemonic)
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heart
- cardiac chambers
- heart valves
- pectinate muscles
- cardiac fibrous skeleton
- coronary arteries
- innervation of the heart
- fetal circulation
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pericardium
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- oblique pericardial sinus
- transverse pericardial sinus
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pericardial recesses
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- postcaval recess
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- pericardial ligaments
- epicardial fat pad
- esophagus
- thymus
- breast
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- arteries
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thoracic aorta (development)
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thoracic aorta (development)
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coronary veins
- cardiac veins which drain into the coronary sinus
- great cardiac vein
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- posterior vein of the left ventricle
- vein of Marshall (oblique vein of the left atrium)
- anterior cardiac veins
- venae cordis minimae (smallest cardiac veins or thebesian veins)
- cardiac veins which drain into the coronary sinus
- pulmonary veins
- arteries
- lymphatics
- innervation of the thorax
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