31 Iliac vessels 31.1 Anatomy The aorta divides into the median sacral artery and the two common iliac arteries, to the left side of L4 and L5 intervertebral disc. 31.1.1…

28 Pancreaticosplenic vessels 28.1 Anatomy 28.1.1 The pancreas We have seen that the arterial supply of the pancreas derives mainly from branches of the gastroduodenal artery (via the superior anterior…

9 The heart The heart is often described in the form of a clenched fist resting on the diaphragm. The average heart weighs about 275 g. It has a height of…

27 Pancreaticoduodenal vessels It is difficult to separate the duodenum from the pancreas because their arterial systems are intertwined. In our opinion, the duodenum merits more medical attention than it…

24 Major abdominal landmarks 24.1 Useful visceral landmarks Before locating the main abdominal pulses, we will look at a few key landmarks, invaluable in the manual approach to the abdomen…

21 The internal carotid artery and its branches The internal carotid artery is very difficult to feel at its origin and impossible to palpate along its intracranial course. Happily, some…

34 Internal pudendal artery 34.1 Anatomy At its origin in the pelvis, the internal pudendal artery (Fig. 34.1) crosses anterior to the piriformis and the sacral plexus. It leaves the…

23 Neurovascular techniques One of the key propositions of the neck is that it allows free passage of numerous nerve fibers arising from the skull and the cervical column. These…

30 Renal vessels 30.1 Anatomy 30.1.1 Renal arteries The direction of the renal arteries is essentially perpendicular to the aorta (Fig. 30.1). Due to their retroperitoneal location, these arteries are…

11 The subclavian arteries The importance of the subclavian arteries cannot be overstressed, as they are located at strategic crossroads in the human body. The thoracic inlet is one of…