Coeliac trunk

Truncus coeliacus

CardiovascularBlood vesselsAbdomen

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What it is
A short, wide artery leaving the front of the aorta just below the aortic hiatus (T12) and dividing almost at once into the left gastric, common hepatic and splenic arteries (the "tripod of Haller").
Function
Supplies the foregut: lower oesophagus, stomach, first half of the duodenum, liver, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen.
Size
~1–2 cm long, ~7 mm diameter.
Clinical note
In median arcuate ligament syndrome the diaphragm's tendinous arch compresses it, causing pain after meals.

Nearby cardiovascular structures Abdominal aorta, Common hepatic artery, Hepatic portal vein, Hepatic veins, Left gastric artery, Left renal artery, Left renal vein, Right renal artery, Splenic artery, Splenic vein