Blood Vessels of the Spleen, Anterior View

Description

Oriented in anterior anatomical position, the dark purple spleen occupies the left upper quadrant with its visceral surface facing the viewer, while the lobulated pancreas runs transversely medial to lateral, tapering into the pancreatic tail as it approaches the splenic hilum. Along the superior border of the pancreas, the splenic artery courses tortuously toward the hilum, while the splenic vein tracks a straighter, slightly posterior-inferior path in close apposition to the gland before converging toward the portal venous system. Short segmental branches enter the splenic hilum, and smaller pancreatic branches arise en route, linking splenic vasculature to the pancreatic parenchyma. A segment of duodenum sits medial to the pancreatic head, anchoring the relationship to the foregut. This anterior view matters because it clarifies the vascular corridor surgeons navigate during distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy, where the splenic artery and vein must be controlled near the pancreatic tail without injuring pancreatic tissue or leaving short gastric inflow unchecked. Tortuosity of the splenic artery is a practical landmark. It also supports interpretation of splenic vein thrombosis from pancreatitis or pancreatic tail tumors, a scenario that can drive left-sided portal hypertension and gastric variceal bleeding despite a normal liver. Use this artwork for abdominal anatomy teaching in GI, surgery, and radiology curricula, for operative atlases illustrating hilar dissection and vessel ligation, or for publisher figures on splenic filtration and reticular architecture anchored to real arterial inflow and venous outflow. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.