Inferior mesenteric artery

Looks like

A slim artery from the lower aorta to the left half of the colon and the rectum.

What it does

Feeds the descending and sigmoid colon and the top of the rectum.

Keeping it well

Nothing routine; its watershed at the splenic flexure is where the bowel starves first in low blood pressure.

Its parts

• Left colic artery
• Sigmoid artery
• Marginal artery of colon
• Superior rectal artery
• Ascending branch of colic artery
• Descending branch of colic artery

Related conditions

• Aortic aneurysm
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hypothermia & frostbite
• Ischaemic colitis
• Kawasaki disease
• Metabolic syndrome
• Orthostatic hypotension & POTS
• Peripheral artery disease
• Phaeochromocytoma & hyperaldosteronism
• Pre-eclampsia
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• Sepsis
• Shock (circulatory failure)
• Vasculitis (GCA & others)