Descending aorta

In human anatomy, the descending aorta is part of the aorta, the largest artery in the body. The descending aorta begins at the aortic arch and runs down through the chest and abdomen. The descending aorta anatomically consists of two portions or segments, the thoracic and the abdominal aorta, in correspondence with the two great cavities of the trunk in which it is situated. Within the abdomen, the descending aorta branches into the two common iliac arteries which serve the pelvis and eventually legs.

Descending aorta
Plan of the branches.
The thoracic aorta, viewed from the left side.
Details
Precursor	Dorsal aorta
Source	Ascending aorta
Branches	Thoracic aorta Abdominal aorta
Identifiers
Latin	aorta descendens, pars descendens aortae
TA98	A12.2.10.001
TA2	4185
FMA	3784
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The ductus arteriosus connects to the junction between the pulmonary artery and the descending aorta in foetal life. This artery later regresses as the ligamentum arteriosum.^[1][2]

The descending aorta has important functions within the body. The descending aorta transports oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body.^[3]

See also

• Abbott artery