Bronchial artery 2409912 215320831 2008-05-27T18:07:10Z DOI bot 6652755 Citation maintenance. You can [[WP:DOI|use this bot]] yourself! Please [[User:DOI_bot/bugs|report any bugs]]. {{Infobox Artery | Name = {{PAGENAME}} | Latin = rami bronchiales partis thoracicae aortae, arteriae bronchiales | GraySubject = 153 | GrayPage = 600 | Image = Gray1032.png | Caption = Bronchial artery labeled at center left. | BranchFrom = [[thoracic aorta]] | BranchTo = | Vein = [[Bronchial veins]] | Supplies = [[lungs]] | MeshName = | MeshNumber = | DorlandsPre = r_02 | DorlandsSuf = 12689141 | }} In [[human anatomy]], the '''bronchial arteries''' help supply the lungs with oxygenated [[blood]]. Although there is much variation, there are usually two bronchial arteries that run to the [[left lung]], and one to the [[right lung]]. ==Origin== The ''left bronchial arteries'' (superior & inferior) usually arise directly from the [[thoracic aorta]]. The single ''right bronchial artery'' usually arises from one of the following: * 1) the [[thoracic aorta]] at a common trunk with the right 3rd [[posterior intercostal artery]] * 2) the superior bronchial artery on the left side ==Distribution to lung== The bronchial arteries supply blood to the bronchi and connective tissue of the lungs. They travel with and branch with the [[bronchi]], ending about at the level of the respiratory [[bronchioles]]. They anastomose with the branches of the [[pulmonary arteries]], and together, they supply the visceral [[pleura]] of the lung in the process. Note that much of the blood supplied by the bronchial arteries is returned via the [[pulmonary veins]] rather than the [[bronchial veins]]. Each bronchial artery also has a branch that supplies the esophagus. ==Comparison with pulmonary arteries== It is easy to confuse the bronchial arteries with the pulmonary arteries, because they both supply the lungs with blood, but there are important differences: {| class="wikitable" | [[pulmonary arteries]] || supplies ''deoxygenated'' blood pumped from the ''[[right ventricle]]'' || [[pulmonary circulation]] || relatively large |- | [[bronchial arteries]] || supplies ''oxygenated'' blood pumped from the ''[[left ventricle]]'' || [[systemic circulation]] || relatively small |} ==Pathology== The bronchial arteries are typically enlarged and [[tortuous]] in [[chronic]] [[pulmonary embolism|pulmonary thromboembolic]] [[hypertension]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Kauczor H, Schwickert H, Mayer E, Schweden F, Schild H, Thelen M |title=Spiral CT of bronchial arteries in chronic thromboembolism |journal=J Comput Assist Tomogr |volume=18 |issue=6 |pages=855–61 |year= |pmid=7962789}}</ref> ==See also== * [[Bronchial veins]] * [[Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy]] ==References== <references/> ==External links== * {{SUNYAnatomyFigs|21|06|06}} - "Branches of the [[ascending aorta]], [[arch of the aorta]], and the [[descending aorta]]." * {{BUHistology|13903loa}} * [http://anatquest.nlm.nih.gov/aq/ImageXml?xml=DSR100006257-xsl.xml Bronchial arteries] - anatquest.nlm.nih.gov. {{circulatory-stub}} {{Arteries of chest}} [[Category: Thorax]]