The superior phrenic arteries are small and arise from the lower part of the
thoracic aorta
The descending thoracic aorta is a part of the aorta located in the thorax. It is a continuation of the aortic arch. It is located within the posterior mediastinal cavity, but frequently bulges into the left pleural cavity. The descending thoracic ...
.
They are distributed to the posterior part of the upper surface of the
diaphragm, and
anastomose
An anastomosis (, plural anastomoses) is a connection or opening between two things (especially cavities or passages) that are normally diverging or branching, such as between blood vessels, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection may be normal ...
with the
musculophrenic
The intercostal arteries are a group of arteries that supply the area between the ribs ("costae"), called the intercostal space. The highest intercostal artery (supreme intercostal artery or superior intercostal artery) is an artery in the human ...
and
pericardiacophrenic
The pericardiacophrenic artery is a long slender branch of the internal thoracic artery. It anastomoses with the musculophrenic and superior phrenic arteries.
Location
The pericardiacophrenic artery branches from the internal thoracic artery. ...
arteries.
See also
*
Inferior phrenic arteries
The inferior phrenic arteries are two small vessels which supply the diaphragm. They present much variety in their origin.
Structure
Origin
The inferior phrenic arteries usually arise between T12 and L2 vertebrae. They may arise separately ...
References
Arteries of the thorax
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