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Thoracic aorta

Alexey Kryvenko, medical expert
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025

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Two types of branches extend from the thoracic part of the aorta: parietal and visceral branches.

Parietal (wall) branches of the thoracic aorta

The superior phrenic artery (a. phrenica superior) is paired, starts from the aorta directly above the diaphragm, goes to the lumbar part of the diaphragm and the pleura covering it.
The posterior intercostal arteries (aa. intercostales posteriores), paired with 10 vessels on each side, are directed into the corresponding intercostal spaces (from the third to the twelfth), supplying blood to the intercostal muscles, ribs, and skin of the chest. Each posterior intercostal artery is located at the lower edge of the overlying rib, in its groove, between the external and internal intercostal muscles under the vein of the same name. The lower intercostal arteries also supply blood to the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall.

The following branches separate from each posterior intercostal artery: the dorsal (posterior) branch (r. dorsalis) departs from the lower edge of the head of the rib and goes to the muscles and skin of the back. It gives off a spinal branch (r. spinalis), which penetrates through the adjacent intervertebral foramen to the spinal cord, its membranes and the roots of the spinal nerves, as well as a lateral cutaneous branch (r. cutaneus lateralis) and a medial cutaneous branch (r. cutaneus medialis), which go to the medial and lateral parts of the back. The lateral and medial branches of the mammary gland (rr. mammarii mediales et laterales) also depart from the fourth to sixth posterior intercostal arteries. The twelfth posterior intercostal artery, located under the lower edge of the twelfth rib, is called the subcostal artery (a. subcostalis).

Visceral branches of the thoracic aorta

Bronchial branches (rr. bronchiales, 2-3 in total) go to the trachea and bronchi, anastomosing with the branches of the pulmonary artery. These branches supply the walls of the bronchi and adjacent lung tissue.
Esophageal branches (rr. oesophageales, 1-5 in total) depart from the aorta at the level of the IV to VIII thoracic vertebrae and are directed to the walls of the esophagus. The lower esophageal branches anastomose with the branches of the left gastric artery.
Pericardial branches (rr. pericardiaci) go to the posterior part of the pericardium.
The mediastinal branches (rr. mediastinales) supply blood to the connective tissue of the posterior mediastinum and the lymph nodes located in it.

The branches of the thoracic aorta form anastomoses with arteries originating from other sources. The bronchial branches anastomose with the branches of the pulmonary artery, the spinal branches (from the posterior intercostal arteries) - with the same branches of the other side, passing in the spinal canal. Along the spinal cord there is an anastomosis of the spinal branches extending from the posterior intercostal arteries and the spinal branches from the vertebral, ascending cervical and lumbar arteries. The 3rd-8th posterior intercostal arteries anastomose with the anterior intercostal branches from the internal thoracic artery, and the 9th-11th posterior intercostal arteries - with the branches of the superior epigastric artery from the internal thoracic artery.