Right superior bronchial artery arising from the right subclavian artery and accompanying nerve branches: an autopsy case

Abstract

In one out of 8 examined cadavers a solid, right superior bronchial artery was found to arise from the subclavian artery with its origin at the same level as those of the right vertebral and internal thoracic arteries. This bronchial artery was 1.5 mm in caliber and closely associated with the right sinal nerve arising from the vagus nerve and with the right stellate cardiopulmonary nerves arising from the right stellate ganglion. Such a close association was also observed between other sympathetic cardiac nerves and bronchial arteries and an extracoronary artery. On the basis of these observations it was deduced that the general course of the bronchial arteries serves to pave the way for the extension of the sympathetic cardiac nerves to the heart.