Drawing on whiteboard the branches of the ambdominal aorta. Descriptive Anatomy.
The abdominal aorta begins as the continuation of descending thoracic aorta at the aortic orifice of the diaphragm opposite to the lower border of the T12 vertebra or intervertebral disc between vertebrae T12 and L1. It descends vertically downward and slightly to the left, in front of the vertebral column, and terminates in front of the lower part of the body of L4 vertebra (about 1.25 cm) to the left of the median plane by dividing into right and left common iliac
arteries.
The abdominal aorta gives three sets of branches:
1. Three unpaired ventral branches to the gut.
2. Three paired lateral branches to three paired glands
(suprarenal glands, kidneys, and gonads).
3. Paired posterolateral branches to the abdominal wall.
In addition to the above, the aorta also gives rise to paired
inferior phrenic artery, unpaired median sacral artery, and
two terminal branches.
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