Inferior mesenteric artery
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The inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) is an anterior branch of the abdominal aorta that supplies the hindgut. It is the smallest of the three anterior branches of the abdominal aorta.
Gross anatomy
Location
- within the mesentery of the hindgut
Origin
- unpaired vessel from the anterior aspect of the abdominal aorta at L3 level
Course
Initially,The IMA runs obliquely downwards towards the IMA descends anteriorly to the aortapelvic brim, initially anterior and then passes to the left asof the aorta. After giving off the left colic and sigmoid arteries, it crosses the origin of the left common iliac artery medial to the ureter, with the inferior mesenteric vein lying between the two. Within the pelvis, it continues inferiorlyas the superior rectal artery in the root of the sigmoid mesocolon.
Branches
- left colic artery
- two to four sigmoid arteries
- superior rectal artery (terminal branch)
Supply
- splenic flexure of large bowel to the upper two thirds of the rectum
Relations
- anterior: third part of the duodenum
- posterior: abdominal aorta, left psoas, sympathetic trunk, left common iliac artery, hypogastric nerve
- lateral (left): inferior mesenteric vein
The left colic and sigmoid branches of the IMA cross anterior to the ureter.
Variant anatomy
- doubled IMA
- absent IMA
- common trunks (e.g. left colic and rectosigmoid, rectal and colosigmoid)
- absent left colic branch
- Arc of Riolan (SMA/IMA connection)
-<p>The <strong>inferior mesenteric artery (IMA)</strong> is an anterior branch of the <a href="/articles/abdominal-aorta-1">abdominal aorta </a>that supplies the hindgut. It is the smallest of the three anterior branches of the abdominal aorta.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Location</h5><ul><li>within the mesentery of the hindgut</li></ul><h5>Origin</h5><ul><li>unpaired vessel from the anterior aspect of the <a href="/articles/abdominal-aorta-1">abdominal aorta</a> at L3 level</li></ul><h5>Course</h5><p>Initially, the IMA descends anteriorly to the aorta and then passes to the left as it continues inferiorly.</p><h5>Branches</h5><ul>- +<p>The <strong>inferior mesenteric artery (IMA)</strong> is an anterior branch of the <a href="/articles/abdominal-aorta-1">abdominal aorta </a>that supplies the hindgut. It is the smallest of the three anterior branches of the abdominal aorta.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Location</h5><ul><li>within the mesentery of the hindgut</li></ul><h5>Origin</h5><ul><li>unpaired vessel from the anterior aspect of the <a href="/articles/abdominal-aorta-1">abdominal aorta</a> at L3 level</li></ul><h5>Course</h5><p>The IMA runs obliquely downwards towards the pelvic brim, initially anterior and then to the left of the aorta. After giving off the left colic and sigmoid arteries, it crosses the origin of the left common iliac artery medial to the ureter, with the inferior mesenteric vein lying between the two. Within the pelvis, it continues as the superior rectal artery in the root of the sigmoid mesocolon.</p><h5>Branches</h5><ul>
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