Corpus: Lumbar splanchnic nerve
1. Definition
The lumbar splanchnic nerves are part of the visceral nerves. They originate from the lumbar part of the sympathetic trunk or lumbar ganglia, with fibres arising from spinal segments L1 and L2.
2. Anatomy
The lumbar splanchnic nerves travel along the aorta to nearby nerve plexuses, including the inferior and superior hypogastric plexuses and the intermesenteric plexus. They carry efferent, preganglionic sympathetic fibres as well as visceroafferent fibres, which are responsible for innervating the smooth muscles and glands of the pelvic organs and rectum.