Artery: Descending aorta
Plan of the branches.
The thoracic aorta, viewed from the left side.
Latin	pars descendens aortae, aorta descendens
Gray's	subject #153 598
Source	Aorta
Branches	Thoracic aorta Abdominal aorta
Precursor	Dorsal aorta
MeSH	Aorta,+Thoracic

The descending aorta is part of the aorta, the largest artery in the body. The descending aorta is the part of the aorta beginning at the aortic arch that runs down through the chest and abdomen. The descending aorta is divided into two portions, the thoracic and abdominal, in correspondence with the two great cavities of the trunk in which it is situated. Within the abdomen, the descending aorta branches into the two common iliac arteries which serve the legs.

[edit] External links

• SUNY Figs 19:04-03 - "Left side of the mediastinum."

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This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

v • d • e List of arteries of torso · chest (TA A12.2.01-04,11, GA 6.598) Pulmonary/ coronary Right coronary: SA nodal · AV nodal · Atrial · Right marginal · Posterior interventricular Left coronary: Anterior interventricular · Left circumflex (Left marginal) Ascending aorta/ aortic arch Brachiocephalic Thyreoidea ima · Right subclavian · Right common carotid Left common carotid External carotid · Internal carotid Carotid body · Carotid sinus · Carotid bifurcation Left subclavian Internal thoracic: Anterior intercostal · Thymic · Pericardiacophrenic · terminal (Musculophrenic, superior epigastric) Costocervical trunk: Highest intercostal (Posterior intercostal 1-2) · Deep cervical Other Aortic body Descending/ thoracic aorta visceral: Bronchial · Esophageal · Mediastinal parietal: Posterior intercostal 3·11 · Subcostal · Superior phrenic