THE TOPOGRAPHIC RELATIONSHIPS OF THE UNPAIRED VISCERAL BRANCHES OF THE AORTA

We examined the metric relationship among the origins of the unpaired visceral branches of the aorta, their relationship to the total descen ding aorta (TDA), and the relationship between the TDA and stature to see whether a graft for the TDA, e.g., from the left subclavian artery to the aortic bifurcation, which includes its visceral branches, coul d be pre-constructed. These proportions were compared between the gend ers and between adults and children to see whether any differences exi st. Thirty-four adult aortae and eight juvenile aortae were examined. These segments-TDA, aortic bifurcation to celiac artery, aortic bifurc ation to superior mesenteric artery, and aortic bifurcation to inferio r mesenteric artery, were defined as the distances between the origins of the left subclavian, celiac, superior mesenteric, and inferior mes enteric arteries, respectively, to the aortic bifurcation. Stature was known only in 15 adult cadavers. The absolute lengths of the segments were correlated to each Ether and the ratios of these absolute length s (proportional lengths) were calculated. The statistical significance was examined by Student's T-test and variability by the F test. The T DA correlated well with aortic bifurcation to celiac artery and aortic bifurcation to superior mesenteric artery, whereas a weaker correlati on existed with aortic bifurcation to inferior mesenteric artery. The ratio aortic bifurcation to celiac artery and aortic bifurcation to su perior mesenteric artery to TDA was less variable than the ratio aorti c bifurcation to inferior mesenteric artery to TDA. The abdominal aort a measured approximately a one-third of TDA. No differences in correla tion nor in ratio were found between genders and between adults and ch ildren. No correlation between stature and TDA was found. The two uppe r unpaired visceral branches originate from the aorta in a prefixed si te, which correlates closely with the length of the descending aorta, whereas the lower one has a more variable point of origin. This is tru e for all ages and for both genders. Aortic length does not correlate with stature. It is not possible thus to predict the length of the des cending aorta by stature. However, a model of the descending aorta can be constructed, but with less accuracy, for the inferior mesenteric a rtery. Clin. Anat. 11:304-309, 1998. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.