Tech in Surgery Prep / Unit 4 TSC 087 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Major Circulatory Pathways
The idea
Blood circulates in two pathways: the pulmonary circuit through the lungs and the systemic circuit through the rest of the body.
In practice
Follow the systemic path out and back. First, oxygenated blood leaves the heart's left ventricle through the aorta, the largest artery. Second, large arteries called trunks branch into smaller ones; the celiac trunk, for example, supplies the stomach, liver and spleen region. Third, arteries end in capillaries in the tissues. Fourth, veins collect the blood and return it toward the heart. Fifth, a special venous route, the hepatic portal system, carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver before it returns to the heart.
Where people slip
The names of vessels tell you where a surgeon is working. A vessel named for an organ supplies that organ, and controlling it is often a key step in removing the organ.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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