Vascularization of the duodenum
The duodenum follows the stomach in the digestive tract and serves for the further digestion of the food. The duodenum is supplied by two arteries, the upper pancreaticoduodenal artery (superior) and the lower pancreaticoduodenal artery (inferior). The venous outflow takes place via several pancreaticoduodenal veins into the portal vein system (vena portae) of the liver (vascular supply to the intestine).
Vascularization of the small intestine
The small intestine is used for the absorption of carbohydrates, proteins and fats and connects the duodenum and large intestine. The entire small intestine is supplied via the upper intestinal artery (Arteria mesenterica superior). This branches off into four jejunal arteries and twelve ileal arteries, which supply the jejunum and ileum.
The venous outflow is via jejunal veins and ileal arteries into the upper intestinal vein, which in turn flows into the portal vein system of the liver (vascular supply to the intestine). The large intestine serves to reabsorb water and thicken stool. The appendix vermiformis, the caecum, the ascending branch of the colon and the right two thirds of the transverse colon are supplied by the superior mesenteric artery.
This is divided into the middle colon artery (Arteria colica media), the right colon artery (Arteria colica dextra) and the ileocolic artery. Venous outflow is via the median colonic vein (vena colica media), the right colonic vein (vena colica sinistra) and the ileocolic vein (vena ileocolica) into the superior vein of the upper intestine (vena mesenterica superior). This flows into the portal vein system (vena portae) of the liver.
The left third of the transverse part of the colon (Colon transversum), the descending branch of the colon (Colon descendens) as well as the sigmoid colon (Colon sigmoideum) are supplied by the lower intestinal artery (Arteria mesenterica inferior). This artery splits into the left intestinal artery (Arteria colica sinistra), the sigmoid arteries (Arteriae sigmoideae) and the upper rectal artery (Arteria rectalis superior). Venous outflow is via the left intestinal vein (Vena colica sinistra), the sigmoid veins (Venae sigmoideae) and the superior rectal vein (Vena rectalis superior). All of these lead via the inferior mesenteric vein (lower intestinal vein) into the portal vein system (vena portae) of the liver.
