Inhuman anatomy, thedescending aorta is part of theaorta, the largest artery, situated in the chest. It is the continued portion of the aorta immediately following the aortic arch.
| Descending aorta | |
|---|---|
 Plan of the branches. | |
 Thethoracic aorta, viewed from the left side. | |
| Details | |
| Precursor | Dorsal aorta |
| Source | Ascending aorta |
| Branches | Thoracic aorta Abdominal aorta |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | aorta descendens, pars descendens aortae |
| TA98 | A12.2.10.001 |
| TA2 | 4185 |
| FMA | 3784 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
The descending aorta begins at theaortic arch and runs down through thechest andabdomen. The descending aorta anatomically consists of two portions or segments, thethoracic and theabdominal aorta, in correspondence with the two great cavities of the trunk in which it is situated. Within the abdomen, the descending aorta branches into the twocommon iliac arteries which serve thepelvis and, eventually, the legs.
Theductus arteriosus connects to the junction between thepulmonary artery and the descending aorta infoetal life. This artery later regresses as theligamentum arteriosum.[1][2]
The descending aorta is made up of multiple parts that extend from the chest to the abdomen. The specific name changes depending on location. The descending thoracic aorta becomes the descending abdominal aorta once it reaches the diaphragm. It is preceded by theascending aorta.
The descending aorta is composed of three layers. The inner layers is thetunica intima which regulates blood pressure. The middle layers is the media, which moves blood in one direction. The outer layer is theadventitia which provides structure and support.[3]
The diameter of the descending aorta varies largely based on sex and age.
Theaorta transports oxygenatedblood from theheart to the entire body.[4] As the aorta descends down the body, it branches into smaller arteries. The descending thoracic aorta branches into the following (descending order)
The branches of the descending abdominal aorta include (descending order)
Aortic aneurysms are the most common condition of the descending aorta. Aortic aneurysms are a bulge or swelling of the aorta due to a weak spot. Athoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is an aortic aneurysm occurring in the upper part of the descending aorta. Anabdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is the most common kind of aortic aneurysm, occurring in the descending abdominal aorta. Athoracoabdominal aneurysm (TAAA) is an aneurysm that extends from the descending thoracic aorta to the descending abdominal aorta.[3]
This article incorporates text in thepublic domain frompage 598 of the 20th edition ofGray's Anatomy(1918)
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