Anastomosis question

[waterbottle10]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey everyone,

just have a quick question about anastomosis which is pretty important in MS1.

When arteries anastomose, they aren't actually connected are they? (Ie scapula anastomosis), if they are, where does that blood go if in normal people the flow in the two arteries go in different directions? I assume the arteries are just very close so the stuff from one can go thru tissue and go into the nearby artery? Can someone confirm? Thanks

 

[2012Aggie]

They are indeed connected. If the blood flow is in two separate directions, then upon occlusion of one artery, the other can cause subsequent reversal of flow downstream to the occluded section, thus preventing ischemia.

 

[waterbottle10]

i mean if they are connected, and you have two things going in opposite directions, the blood vessel should explode?

 

[Dysgenics]

i mean if they are connected, and you have two things going in opposite directions, the blood vessel should explode?

lol
.
.
.
no.

 

[SirGecko]

Like was said above the arteries are in fact both providing circulation to the same area. Think about it for a second and it won't seem that weird. arteries are constantly branching into smaller vessels. The blood just flows into the smaller vessels perfuses tissue then flows out onto the venous system.

 

[urbanclassic]

Like was said above the arteries are in fact both providing circulation to the same area. Think about it for a second and it won't seem that weird. arteries are constantly branching into smaller vessels. The blood just flows into the smaller vessels perfuses tissue then flows out onto the venous system.

Yeah... Blood doesn't just circulate through the body without going into the tissue... where then the veins pick up the de-oxy blood... so it makes total sense how two arteries can connect and supply the same area... there is constant removal of the used blood via the venous system.

 

[Smokemont]

It's all just simple plumbing, pressure gradients determine the flow.

 

[tiedyeddog]

I think the best way to envision it is they share the same capillary bed. The flow is unidirectional, like normal.

 

[waterbottle10]

ok so for example dorsal scapular artery and circumflex scapular. the two arteries itself do not connect in the scapula region, but it is their capillary beds that do? and then blood from their capillary bends flow out into veins ?

 

[SpecterGT260]

Like was said above the arteries are in fact both providing circulation to the same area. Think about it for a second and it won't seem that weird. arteries are constantly branching into smaller vessels. The blood just flows into the smaller vessels perfuses tissue then flows out onto the venous system.

This.

The anastomoses are usually through capillary beds. Think about two rivers coming together. This is how anastomoses work.

 

[SpecterGT260]

ok so for example dorsal scapular artery and circumflex scapular. the two arteries itself do not connect in the scapula region, but it is their capillary beds that do? and then blood from their capillary bends flow out into veins ?

Yes

 

[theseeker4]

ok so for example dorsal scapular artery and circumflex scapular. the two arteries itself do not connect in the scapula region, but it is their capillary beds that do? and then blood from their capillary bends flow out into veins ?

Two anastomizing arteries directly connect to one another. They are not ONLY connected through the capillary beds. I am not sure how to describe it more clearly than that.

 

[J ROD]

i mean if they are connected, and you have two things going in opposite directions, the blood vessel should explode?

wow............

 

[Siggy]

Two anastomizing arteries directly connect to one another. They are not ONLY connected through the capillary beds. I am not sure how to describe it more clearly than that.

Pictures maybe?

Circle of Willis:

Probably one of the most interconnected set of arteries are those that supply the gut.

As someone else said, it's all about pressure gradients. For the gut it's really important because if something get's clogged (or removed, such as in some vascular surgeries), the flow will reverse in some arteries since the upstream supply artery has changed. However, the flow through the capillary bed itself will not switch directions.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Two anastomizing arteries directly connect to one another. They are not ONLY connected through the capillary beds. I am not sure how to describe it more clearly than that.

Not true for all vessels that anastomose. For example, portacaval anastomosis are not direct linkages between vessels.

Another example would be in the Arterial network of the knees. Many of the anastomosis are at the capillary level or at least are very,very fine connections. .

It is a sharing of a capillary bed on the most basic level. Some bigger vessels combine in the scapular network way before the capillary bed but some don't, however they all share the same bed. Like in all anatomy you just need to memorize the big stuff, no one cares about the tiny stuff and most of it isn't even named.

 

[SpecterGT260]

Not true for all vessels that anastomose. For example, portacaval anastomosis are not direct linkages between vessels.

Another example would be in the Arterial network of the knees. Many of the anastomosis are at the capillary level or at least are very,very fine connections. .

It is a sharing of a capillary bed on the most basic level. Some bigger vessels combine in the scapular network way before the capillary bed but some don't, however they all share the same bed. Like in all anatomy you just need to memorize the big stuff, no one cares about the tiny stuff and most of it isn't even named.

👍 yeah. Many anastomotic arteries don't directly connect. The portal systemic anastamoses have some larger vessels I believe but they are closer to caps than anything else. I also think there is collateral circulation in places that acts anastamotically when blood flow is obstructed.


Though.... that would result in hypoxic blood which is sucky..... the post circumflex artery in the shoulder.... does that actually connect back to the brachial/SC?

 

[theseeker4]

Not true for all vessels that anastomose. For example, portacaval anastomosis are not direct linkages between vessels.

Another example would be in the Arterial network of the knees. Many of the anastomosis are at the capillary level or at least are very,very fine connections. .

It is a sharing of a capillary bed on the most basic level. Some bigger vessels combine in the scapular network way before the capillary bed but some don't, however they all share the same bed. Like in all anatomy you just need to memorize the big stuff, no one cares about the tiny stuff and most of it isn't even named.

Yep, that is why I said not only connected. Maybe should have been "not always only" but the point is the same....👍