Corpus: Middle colic artery

The middle colic artery, or MCS for short, is a branch of the superior mesenteric artery, responsible for supplying the transverse colon with arterial blood.

The middle colic artery originates just below the pancreas from the superior mesenteric artery. It runs inferiorly and anteriorly in the transverse mesocolon and divides there into a left and right branch.

The right branch anastomoses with the right colic artery. The left branch anastomoses with the left colic artery in the Riolan anastomosis and the Drummond anastomosis closer to the intestine. The numerous vascular branches that supply the transverse colon originate from the arched anastomoses.