PERTINENT BLOOD VESSEL ROUTES

When thinking about blood vessel routes, think about the path blood takes as it flows
through vessels to some destination in the body. This is like giving directions to
someone on how to drive somewhere. Name the vessels through which blood flows to
get to a body part. The following is by no means a complete listing of blood vessels.

UPPER EXTREMITIES

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE LEFT UPPER EXTREMITY

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch left subclavian artery axillary artery
brachial artery ulnar artery or radial artery

DEEP VENOUS RETURN FROM THE LEFT UPPER EXTREMITY

radial or ulnar veins brachial vein axillary vein subclavian vein left
brachiocephalic vein superior vena cava right atrium

SUPERFICIAL VENOUS RETURN FROM THE LEFT UPPER EXTREMITY

1 - cephalic vein subclavian vein brachiocephalic vein superior vena cava

2 - basilic vein brachial vein axillary vein subclavian vein brachiocephalic
vein superior vena cava right atrium
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ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE RIGHT UPPER EXTREMITY

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch brachiocephalic artery right

subclavian artery axillary artery brachial artery ulnar artery or radial artery

DEEP VENOUS RETURN FROM THE RIGHT UPPER EXTREMITY

radial or ulnar veins brachial vein axillary vein subclavian vein right
brachiocephalic vein superior vena cava right atrium

SUPERFICIAL VENOUS RETURN FROM THE RIGHT UPPER EXTREMITY

palmar digital and palmar metacarpal veins dorsal venous network (2 paths)
1 - cephalic vein subclavian vein brachiocephalic vein superior vena cava
2 - basilic vein brachial vein axillary vein subclavian vein brachiocephalic
vein superior vena cava right atrium

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LOWER EXTREMITIES

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE LOWER EXTREMITIES

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch thoracic aorta abdominal aorta
common iliac artery external iliac artery femoral and deep femoral arteries
popliteal artery anterior tibial or posterior tibial arteries

DEEP VENOUS RETURN FROM THE LOWER EXTREMITIES

anterior tibial vein popliteal vein femoral vein external iliac vein common iliac
vein > inferior vena cava right atrium

SUPERFICIAL VENOUS RETURN FROM THE LOWER EXTREMITIES

small and great saphenous veins femoral vein external iliac vein common iliac
vein inferior vena cava right atrium

THE BRAIN

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE LEFT BRAIN

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch left common carotid artery left
internal carotid artery circle of Willis

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch left subclavian artery left vertebral
artery basilar artery circle of Willis

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE RIGHT BRAIN

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch brachiocephalic artery right common
carotid artery right internal carotid artery circle of Willis

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch brachiocephalic artery right

subclavian artery right vertebral artery basilar artery circle of Willis

VENOUS RETURN FROM THE BRAIN

dural sinuses internal jugular vein brachiocephalic vein superior vena cava
right atrium
3

THE HEAD AND NECK (not the brain)

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE LEFT HEAD AND NECK

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch left common carotid artery left
external carotid artery (a number of branches that supply the head and neck)

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 ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE RIGHT HEAD AND NECK

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch brachiocephalic artery right common
carotid artery right external carotid artery (a number of branches that supply the
head and neck)

VENOUS RETURN FROM THE HEAD AND NECK

various branches draining the head and neck right external jugular vein (Meets
subclavian vein) brachiocephalic vein superior vena cava right atrium

THE THORACIC WALL

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO LEFT ANTERIOR THORACIC WALL

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch left subclavian artery internal thoracic
artery 11 anterior intercostal arteries

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE RIGHT ANTERIOR THORACIC WALL

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch brachiocephalic artery right

subclavian artery internal thoracic artery 11 anterior intercostal arteries

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE LEFT POSTERIOR THORACIC WALL AND THORACIC
VISCERA

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch thoracic aorta (several branches
given off as the aorta passes respective structures)
1. right and left bronchial arteries
2. 11 pairs of posterior intercostal arteries
3. a series of esophageal arteries

VENOUS RETURN OF THE THORACIC WALL AND THE THORACIC VISCERA

intercostal veins and esophageal veins azygos veins superior vena cava right
atrium

blood from the bronchial arteries joins the flow from the pulmonary blood flow

THE ABDOMINAL VISCERA

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO PAIRED ORGANS OF THE ABDOMINAL CAVITY

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch thoracic aorta abdominal aorta
(several branches given off as the aorta passes respective structures)
1. right and left inferior phrenic arteries
2. right and left superior, middle, and inferior suprarenal arteries
3. right and left renal arteries
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 4. right and left gonadal arteries (gonads originated near the kidneys)
5. a series of lumbar arteries to the body wall

VENOUS RETURN FROM THE PAIRED ORGANS OF THE ABDOMINAL CAVITY

paired venous branches corresponding to the arterial supply join the inferior vena cava
right atrium

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE UNPAIRED ORGANS OF THE ABDMINAL CAVITY

left ventricle ascending aorta thoracic aorta abdominal aorta 3 branches from
superior to inferior:
1. celiac trunk gives rise to three branches:
a. common hepatic artery to the liver
b. splenic artery to the spleen
c. left gastric artery
2. superior mesenteric artery supplies all of the small intestine and the large
intestine to the splenic flexure
3. inferior mesenteric artery supplies the large intestine from the splenic
flexure to the rectum

VENOUS RETURN FROM THE UNPAIRED ORGANS OF THE ABDOMINAL CAVITY

blood from the large intestine from the splenic flexure to the rectum empties into the
inferior mesenteric vein splenic vein
blood from the rest of the large intestine, the small intestine, and the pancreas
superior mesenteric vein

the splenic vein and the superior mesenteric vein unite to form the hepatic portal vein

the gastric veins join the hepatic portal vein

the hepatic portal vein dumps its blood into the liver sinusoids for processing hepatic
vein inferior vena cava right atrium

THE PELVIC STRUCTURES

ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE STRUCTURES OF THE PELVIC CAVITY

left ventricle ascending aorta aortic arch thoracic aorta abdominal aorta
common iliac artery internal iliac artery various organs and structures

VENOUS RETURN FROM THE STRUCTURES OF THE PELVIC CAVITY

various organs and structures internal iliac vein common iliac vein inferior vena
cava right atrium