Testicular artery

Arteria testicularis

CardiovascularBlood vesselsWhole bodyLeft and right

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What it is
A long, slender artery arising from the aorta just below the renal arteries; it descends on psoas behind the peritoneum, crosses the ureter, and passes through the inguinal canal in the spermatic cord to the testis.
Function
Supplies the testis and epididymis.
Size
~1–2 mm diameter; very long (up to ~30 cm in men).
Clinical note
The gonads develop high in the abdomen next to the kidneys and descend, dragging their arteries with them — hence the high origin from the aorta.

Nearby cardiovascular structures Azygos vein, Inferior vena cava, Internal jugular vein, Left common carotid artery, Left testicular vein, Left vertebral artery, Right testicular vein, Right vertebral artery