major arterial branches of the descending aorta

superior mesenteric artery

arises off the anterior surface of the abdominal aorta just inferior to the celiac trunk at the level of the first lumbar vertebra; it has many anastomoses and branches into 5 arteries

right/left common iliac arteries

begin at division of abdominal aorta at level of fourth lumbar vertebra and terminate into internal and external iliac arteries

right/left renal arteries

branch off the lateral surface of the abdominal aorta at the level of the second lumbar vertebra and course toward the kidneys

inferior mesenteric

branches off the abdominal aorta at the level of the third lumbar vertebra; it has many anastomoses and branches into 3 arteries

abdominal aorta

continuation of the thoracic aorta that begins at the diaphragm and ends at the level of the fourth lumbar vertebra where it divides into the right and left common iliac arteries

splenic artery

largest of the three celiac trunk branches, it comes off the left anterior side and courses to the left toward the spleen and branches into three arteries: the pancreatic artery, the left gastroepiploic artery, and the short gastric artery

celiac trunk

short branch off abdominal aorta just inferior to the diaphragm that immediately divides into three arteries: the left gastric, splenic, and common hepatic arteries

left gastric artery

smallest of the three celiac trunk branches, it comes off the left anterior side and courses to the left toward the esophagus

common hepatic artery

Intermediate of three celiac trunk branches, it comes off the right anterior side and courses toward the right and branches into three arteries