Corpus: Helicine artery
This text has been translated by an AI and may sound raw. It will be reviewed shortly. Thank you for your patience!
This text has been translated by an AI and may sound raw. It will be reviewed shortly. Thank you for your patience!
from ancient Greek: ἕλιξ ("helix") - coiled like a snail
English:
Definition[Bearbeiten]
Helical arteries or Arteriae helicinae are arteries that have a tortuous or corkscrew-like twisted course.
Function[Bearbeiten]
Bendy arteries are needed in organs that are subject to large volume fluctuations or strong movements.
Examples[Bearbeiten]
Genital apparatus[Bearbeiten]
Tortuous arteries in the corpus cavernosum penis (arteria penis profunda) or uterus (arteria uterina) can reach the required length by unwinding when the volume of the organ changes (e.g. erection, pregnancy).
Tendril arteries are also found on the hilus of the ovary. However, these are to be seen as variations in shape and are not subject to volume fluctuations.
Face[Bearbeiten]
In the face, the facial artery sometimes has a tortuous course, for example to achieve the necessary length when the jaw is maximally open.
Splenic artery[Bearbeiten]
The splenic artery also has a very tortuous course, but this cannot be explained by the respiratory displacement, but possibly serves more as an extended blood reservoir.
Literature[Bearbeiten]
- Waldeyer et al, Human Anatomy: Textbook and Atlas in One Volume (De Gruyter Studium) (19th totaly rev. ed.), De Gruyter, 2012