Abstract
ABSTRACT. Estruc T.M., do Nascimento R.M., Gomes M.S., Mencalha R. & Abidu-Figueiredo M. [Anatomical relationships between the origin and distribution of the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries in the domestic cat]. Relações anatô- micas entre a origem e distribuição das artérias mesentéricas cranial e caudal no gato doméstico. Revista Brasileira de Medicina veterinária 34(4):295-302, 2012. Área de Anatomia Animal, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ 23890-000, Brasil. E-mail: marceloabidu@gmail.com The aim of this study was to describe the origin and main branches of the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries in the domestic cat. The anatomical dissections were performed in 32 cadavers of adult cats, 18 males and 14 females, with a medium rostrum sacral length of 50.23 cm and 48.39 cm respectively. Cats were positioned in right lateral decubit and a thoracic incision was made to remove the 6th and 7th ribs to cannulate the thoracic portion of aorta. The vascular system was washed with saline solution, fixated with 10% formaldehyde solution and then filled with colored Petrolátex S-65. After five days emerged in 10% formaldehyde solution, all the animals were washed in current water. The cranial and caudal mesenteric and its proximal branches were in situ dissected and measured with a digital pachymeter. No organs were removed. The average length and standard deviation of the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries were calculated and compared in both sexes by unpaired t test. To verify if the frequency distributions observed for the 32 examined animals is in accordance with the literature, the Qui-square (χ2 )test was performed, with a 5% level of significance, to test if the nullity hypothesis is true for the origin of the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries. The relationship between the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries length, with rostrum-sacral length was calculated by the correlation coefficient “r” varying between -1 and +1, that is, -1 < r < +1. The cranial mesenteric artery arose as a single artery in 13 (92.85%) females and in one (7.14%) the celiac-mesenteric trunk was observed. In males the cranial mesenteric artery arose as a single artery in 15 (83.33%) cats and in three (16.66%) the celiac-mesenteric trunk was observed. The average length of the cranial mesenteric artery in females was 5.27 cm and originated at the level of the 2nd lumbar vertebra in nine (64.29%) animals, between 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebra in three (27.78%) animals, at the level of 3rd lumbar vertebra in one (7.14%) animal and between 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebra in one (7.14%) animal. The average length of the cranial mesenteric artery in males was 5.26 cm and originated at the level of 1st lumbar vertebra in one (5.56%) animal, between 1st and 2nd lumbar vertebra in three (16.67 %), at the level of the 2nd lumbar vertebra in six (33.33 %) animals, between 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebra in five (27.78 %) animals, at the level of 3rd lumbar vertebra in two (11.11 %) animals and between 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebra in one (5.56%) animal. The main ramifications of the cranial mesenteric artery were the caudal duodenal pancreatic artery, middle and right colic, jejunal, ileocecocolic, ileocolic and cecocolic arteries. The caudal mesenteric artery arose as a single artery in 13 (92.85%) females and in one (7.14%) this vessels was absent. In males the caudal mesenteric artery arose as a single artery in 16 (88.88 %) cats and in two (11.11%) animals was absent. The average length of the caudal mesenteric artery in females was 2.63cm and originated between 5th and 6th lumbar vertebra in two (15.38%) animals, at the level of 6th lumbar vertebra in seven (53.84%) animals, between 6th and 7th lumbar vertebra in three (23.07%) animals and at the level of 7th lumbar vertebra in one (7.69 %) animal. The average length of the caudal mesenteric artery in males was 2.71 cm and originated at the level of the 5th lumbar vertebra in two (12.5 %) animals, between 5th and 6th lumbar vertebra in three (18.75%) animals, at the level of 6th lumbar vertebra in eight (50%) animals and between 6th and 7th lumbar vertebra in two (12.5%) animals and between 7th lumbar vertebra and 1st sacral vertebra in one (6.25 %) animal. The caudal mesenteric artery arises from the aorta, cranially to the external iliac arteries, originating the cranial rectal and left colic arteries. No relation was observed between the mesenteric length and the rostrum-sacral length in cats. The origin of the cranial and caudal mesenteric artery is not gender dependent.