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Artery: Thoracic aorta
The thoracic aorta, viewed from the left side.
Histopathological image of dissecting aneurysm of thoracic aorta in a patient without evidence of Marfan's trait. The damaged aorta was surgically removed and replaced by artificial vessel. Victoria blue & HE stain.
Latin	aorta thoracalis
Gray's	subject #153 598
Source	Descending aorta
MeSH	Aorta,+Thoracic

The thoracic aorta is contained in the posterior mediastinal cavity.

It begins at the lower border of the fourth thoracic vertebra where it is continuous with the aortic arch, and ends in front of the lower border of the twelfth at the aortic hiatus in the diaphragm.

At its commencement, it is situated on the left of the vertebral column; it approaches the median line as it descends; and, at its termination, lies directly in front of the column.

The vessel describes a curve which is concave forward; as the branches given off from it are small, its diminution in size is insignificant.

Contents 1 Relations 2 Branches 2.1 Branches before thoracic aorta 2.2 Branches of thoracic aorta 3 Additional images 4 External links

It is in relation, anteriorly, from above downward, with the root of the left lung, the pericardium, the esophagus, and the diaphragm; posteriorly, with the vertebral column and the hemiazygos veins; on the right side, with the azygos vein and thoracic duct; on the left side, with the left pleura and lung.

The esophagus, with its accompanying plexus of nerves, lies on the right side of the aorta above; but at the lower part of the thorax it is placed in front of the aorta, and, close to the diaphragm, is situated on its left side.

The initial part of the aorta, the ascending aorta, rises out of the left ventricle, from which it is separated by the aortic valve. The two coronary arteries of the heart arise from the aortic root, just above the cusps of the aortic valve.

The aorta then arches back over the right pulmonary artery. Three vessels come out of the aortic arch, the brachiocephalic artery, the left common carotid artery, and the left subclavian artery. These vessels supply blood to the head, neck, thorax and upper limbs.

The aorta gives off several paired branches as it descends in the thorax. These includes the

• bronchial arteries
• esophageal arteries
• posterior intercostal arteries

Transverse section of thorax, showing relations of pulmonary artery.

The arch of the aorta, and its branches.

• UCC

v • d • e Arteries of torso

pulmonary - aorta - ascending aorta right coronary (sinuatrial nodal, atrioventricular nodal, atrial, right marginal, posterior interventricular) left coronary (anterior interventricular, left circumflex, left marginal) aortic arch - brachiocephalic - thyreoidea ima - common carotid SUBCLAVIAN: internal thoracic: musculophrenic - anterior intercostal - pericardiacophrenic - superior epigastric costocervical trunk: highest intercostal, deep cervical DESCENDING AORTA / THORACIC AORTA: bronchial - esophageal - posterior intercostal - subcostal ABDOMINAL AORTA: Anterior - celiac: left gastric splenic: pancreatic branches (arteria pancreatica magna) - short gastric - left gastro-omental common hepatic: proper hepatic (cystic), right gastric, gastroduodenal (right gastro-omental, superior pancreaticoduodenal) superior mesenteric: inferior pancreaticoduodenal - intestinal - ileocolic (appendicular) - right colic - middle colic inferior mesenteric: left colic - sigmoid - superior rectal Posterior - Visceral: middle suprarenal - renal (inferior suprarenal) - testicular/ovarian - Parietal: inferior phrenic (superior suprarenal) - lumbar - median sacral Terminal branches: common iliac - marginal - internal iliac INTERNAL ILIAC: Anterior: umbilical (superior vesical, to ductus deferens) - inferior vesical - middle rectal - uterine (azygos of the vagina) - vaginal - obturator (anterior branch, posterior branch) internal pudendal: (inferior rectal, perineal, artery of the urethral bulb, urethral, deep artery of the penis, dorsal artery of the penis) inferior gluteal (accompanying of ischiadic nerve, crucial anastomosis) Posterior: iliolumbar - lateral sacral - superior gluteal EXTERNAL ILIAC: inferior epigastric (cremasteric) - deep circumflex iliac

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.