The superior thyroid artery is the first branch of the external carotid artery. The other branches of the external carotid artery are:
1. Superior thyroid artery
2. Ascending pharyngeal artery
3. Lingual artery
4. Facial artery
5. Occipital artery
6. Posterior auricular artery
7. Maxillary artery
8. Superficial temporal artery

The inferior thyroid artery is derived from the thyrocervical trunk.

The prostate gland is primarily supplied by the inferior vesical artery, which branches off from the anterior division of the internal iliac artery. The inferior vesical artery supplies the base of the bladder, the distal ureters, and the prostate. The branches to the prostate communicate with the corresponding vessels of the opposite side.

The inferior vesical artery branches into two main arteries:
1. Urethral artery – supplies the transition zone and is the main arterial supply for the adenomas in BPH
2. Capsular artery – supplies the glandular tissue

The venous drainage of the prostate is from the prostatic venous plexus, which drains into the paravertebral veins.

The external iliac artery is the larger of the two branches of the common iliac artery. It forms the main blood supply to the lower limbs. The common iliac bifurcates into the internal and external iliac artery anterior to the sacroiliac joint.

The external iliac artery courses on the medial border of the psoas major muscles and exits the pelvic girdle posterior to the inguinal ligament. Here, midway between the anterior superior iliac spine and the pubic symphysis, the external iliac artery becomes the femoral artery and descends along the anteromedial part of the thigh in the femoral triangle.

The pectineus forms the posterior border of the femoral canal.
The femoral vein forms the lateral border of the femoral canal.
The medial border of the adductor longus muscle forms the medial wall of the femoral triangle.
The medial border of the sartorius muscle forms the lateral wall of the femoral triangle.

The important landmarks of vessels arising from the abdominal aorta at different levels of vertebrae are:

T12 – Coeliac trunk

L1 – Left renal artery

L2 – Testicular or ovarian arteries

L3 – Inferior mesenteric artery

L4 – Bifurcation of the abdominal aorta.

The costal elements of the seventh cervical vertebrae form projections known as cervical ribs, which are present in approximately 0.5% – 1 % individuals.

A cervical rib commonly comprises of a head, neck and tubercle. The body of the rib varies from person to person. It extends into the posterior triangle of the neck, where it is either free anteriorly, or attached to the first rib / sternum.

Patients with a cervical rib mostly are asymptomatic and it is usually diagnosed as an incidental finding on chest x-ray. However, in some cases, the subclavian artery and the lower trunk of the brachial plexus are compressed where they pass over the cervical rib. This leads to a condition known as ”neurovascular compression syndrome,” in which these neurovascular structures are compressed between the cervical rib and scalenus anterior.

The most common cause of neurogenic symptoms in approximately 80% of the patients with cervical rib is neck trauma.

In most cases, the tingling, numbness and impaired circulation to the upper limb appears only after puberty. This is because the neck elongates, and the shoulders droop slightly.

The autonomic nervous system is divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. They are anatomically and physiologically different.

The sympathetic nervous system arises from the thoracolumbar outflow (T1-L5 ) at the lateral horns of grey matter of the spinal cord. Their preganglionic neurones are usually short myelinated and synapse in ganglia lateral to the vertebral column and have acetyl choline (Ach) as the neurotransmitter. Their postganglionic neurones are longer and unmyelinated and synapse with effector organ where the neurotransmitter is either adrenaline or noradrenaline.

The outflow of the parasympathetic nervous system is craniosacral. The cranial part originates from the midbrain and medulla (cranial nerves III, VII, IX and X) and the sacral outflow is from S2, S3 and S4. Their preganglionic neurones are usually long myelinated and synapse in ganglia close to the target organ and has Ach as its neurotransmitter. The unmyelinated postganglionic neurones is shorter and they synapse with effector organ. The neurotransmitter here is also Ach.

Both sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic neurons are cholinergic. Only the postganglionic parasympathetic neurons are cholinergic.

The diaphragm divides the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity. Structures penetrate the diaphragm at different vertebral levels through openings in the diaphragm to communicate between the two cavities. The diaphragm has openings at three vertebral levels:

T8: vena cava, terminal branches of the right phrenic nerve
T10: oesophagus, vagal trunks, left anterior phrenic vessels, oesophageal branches of the left gastric vessels
T12: descending aorta, thoracic duct, azygous and hemi-azygous vein.

The heart has two venous drainage systems:
1. Greater venous system – it parallels the coronary arterial circulation and provides 70% venous drainage to the heart
2. Lesser venous system – includes the thebasian veins and provides up to 30% of the venous drainage to the heart

Thebasian veins (also called venae cordis minimae) are the smallest coronary veins and run in the myocardial layer of the heart. They serve to drain the myocardium and are present in all four heart chambers. They are more abundant on the right side of the heart and, more specifically, are most abundant in the right atrium. Thebesian veins drain the subendocardial myocardium either directly, via connecting intramural arteries and veins, or indirectly, via subendocardial sinusoidal spaces.

The left coronary artery arises from the left posterior aortic sinus and divides into the circumflex arteries and the left anterior descending (LAD) artery.

The right coronary artery arises from the anterior aortic sinus and supplies:
– the right ventricle
– part of the interventricular septum
– the atrioventricular (A-V) node and
– in 85% of cases the inferior part of the left ventricle.
The right coronary artery provides a posterior interventricular branch and a marginal branch that anastomoses with the LAD at the apex.

The oblique vein together with the small, middle and great cardiac veins drain into the coronary sinus, which drains into the right atrium.

The anterior cardiac vein drains directly into the right atrium.

The answer is anterior to the spermatic cord.

The inguinal canal in men contains the ilioinguinal nerve, the genitofemoral nerve and the spermatic cord.

The ilioinguinal nerve arises of the L1 nerve root with the Iliohypogastric nerve, before entering the inguinal canal from the side, through the muscles of the abdomen, travelling superficial to the spermatic cord.

The mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve passes through the foramen ovale. Other structures that pass through this foramen are the accessory meningeal artery, and occasionally, the lesser petrosal nerve.

These are the structures that pass through the other openings in the cranial fossa:

Foramen rotundum – Maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve

Foramen lacerum – Greater petrosal nerve, traversed by the internal carotid artery

Superior orbital fissure – Oculomotor nerve; trochlear nerve; lacrimal, frontal and nasociliary branches of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve; abducens nerve, superior ophthalmic vein

Stylomastoid foramen – facial nerve.

The inguinal canal is a passage in the lower anterior abdominal wall just above the inguinal ligament. It transmits the following structures:
1. genital branch of genitofemoral nerve
2. ilioinguinal nerve
3. spermatic cord (males only)
4. round ligament of the uterus (females only)

The ilioinguinal is a direct branch of the first lumbar nerve. The ilioinguinal nerve enters the inguinal canal via the abdominal musculature (and not through the deep (internal) inguinal ring) and exits through the superficial (or external) inguinal ring.

The openings for the other nerves in the answer options are:
Sciatic nerve – exits the pelvis via the greater sciatic foramen
Obturator nerve – descends into pelvis via the obturator foramen
Femoral nerve – descends from the abdomen through the pelvis behind the inguinal canal

The Iliohypogastric nerve also arises from the first lumbar root with the ilioinguinal nerve but pierces the transversus abdominis muscle posteriorly, just above the iliac crest, and continues anteriorly between the transversus abdominis and the internal abdominal oblique muscles.

The hindgut is from the distal third of the transverse colon down to the upper one-third of the anal canal. The inferior mesenteric artery supplies the hindgut.

The inferior mesenteric artery arises from the aorta behind the inferior border of the third part of the duodenum 3€“4 cm above the aortic bifurcation, at the third lumbar vertebra level.

The important landmarks of vessels arising from the abdominal aorta at different levels of vertebrae are:

T12 – Coeliac trunk

L1 – Left renal artery

L2 – Testicular or ovarian arteries

L3 – Inferior mesenteric artery

L4 – Bifurcation of the abdominal aorta.

There are four parathyroid glands that lie on the medial half of the posterior surface of each lobe of the thyroid gland, inside its sheath. There are two superior and two inferior parathyroid glands.

The common carotid artery is a lateral relation of the inferior parathyroid.

The sinoatrial node receives innervation from multiple nerves arising from the complex cardiac plexus.

The cardiac plexus sends tiny branches into cardiac vessels, alongside the right and left coronary arteries.

The vagal efferent fibres originate from the vagal and accessory nerves in the brainstem, and then travel to the cardiac plexus within the heart. The resulting vagal discharge controls heart rate.

No singular nerve directly innervates the sinoatrial node.

The anterior cerebral artery supplies the midline portion of the frontal lobe and the superior medial parietal lobe of the brain. It also supplies the front four-fifths of the corpus callosum and provides blood to deep structures such as the anterior limb of the internal capsule, part of the caudate nucleus, and the anterior part of the globus pallidus.

The cerebral hemispheres are supplied by arteries that make up the Circle of Willis. The Circle of Willis is formed by the anastomosis of the two internal carotid arteries and two vertebral arteries.

Clinically, the internal carotid arteries and their branches are often referred to as the anterior circulation of the brain. The anterior cerebral arteries are connected by the anterior communicating artery. Near their termination, the internal carotid arteries are joined to the posterior cerebral arteries by the posterior communicating arteries, completing the cerebral arterial circle around the interpeduncular fossa, the deep depression on the inferior surface of the midbrain between the cerebral peduncles.

The middle cerebral artery supplies part of the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes.

The posterior cerebral artery supplies the occipital lobe.

The external urethral sphincter functions to provide voluntary control of urine flow from the bladder to the urethra.

It receives its innervation from the branches of the pudendal nerve which originate from S2, S3 and S4.

The taeniae coli are the three outer muscular bands of the cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, and descending colon.

The taeniae coli converge at the base of the appendix in the cecum where they form a complete longitudinal layer. In the ascending and descending colon, the bands are located anteriorly, posteromedially, and posterolateral.

Foramen ovale, ductus arteriosus (DA) and ductus venosus (DV) are the three important cardiac shunts in-utero.

At birth the umbilical vessels constrict in response to stretch as they are clamped. Blood flow through the ductus venosus (DV) decreases but the DV closes passively in 3-10 days.

As the pulmonary circulation is established, there is a drastic fall in pulmonary vascular resistance and an increased pulmonary blood flow. This increases flow and pressure in the Left Atrium that exceeds that of the right atrium. The difference in pressure usually leads to the IMMEDIATE closure of the foramen ovale.

The DA is functionally closed within the first 36-hours of birth in a healthy full-term newborn. Subsequent endothelial and fibroblast proliferation leads to permanent anatomical closure within 2 – 3 weeks.

Oxygenated blood from the placenta passes via the umbilical vein to the liver. Blood also bypasses the liver via the ductus venosus into the inferior vena cava (IVC). The Crista dividens is a tissue flap situated at the junction of the IVC and the right atrium (RA). This flap directs the oxygen-rich blood, along the posterior aspect of the IVC, through the foramen ovale into the left atrium (LA).

The Eustachian valve also known as the valve of The IVC is a remnant of the crista dividens.

The most likely of the differential diagnosis in this case is a duodenal ulcer located on the posterior abdominal wall.

These can cause an erosion of the abdominal wall, eventually affecting the gastroduodenal artery and resulting in major bleeding and haematemesis.

Gastroduodenal artery supplies the pylorus, proximal part of the duodenum, and indirectly to the pancreatic head (via the anterior and posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal arteries).

The common peroneal (fibular) nerve descends obliquely along the lateral side of the popliteal fossa to the fibular head, medial to biceps femoris.

The sural nerve exits at the fossa’s lower inferolateral aspect and is more at risk in short saphenous vein surgery.

The tibial nerve lies more medially and is even less likely to be injured in this location.

The boundaries of the popliteal fossa are:
Superolateral – the biceps femoris tendon
Superomedial – semimembranosus reinforced by semitendinosus
Inferomedial and inferolateral – medial and lateral heads of gastrocnemius

The contents of the Popliteal fossa are:

1. The popliteal artery
2. The popliteal vein
3. The Tibial nerve and common Fibular nerve
4. Posterior femoral cutaneous nerve: descends and pierces the roof
5. Small saphenous vein
6. popliteal lymph nodes
7. fat.

The popliteal fossa is the shallow, diamond-shaped depression located in the back of the knee joint.

The structures that lie within in from superficial to deep are:

The tibial and common fibular nerve: Most superficial. They arise from the sciatic nerve.
The popliteal vein
The popliteal artery: Lies deepest. It arises from the femoral artery

Boundaries of the popliteal fossa:

Laterally
Biceps femoris above, lateral head of gastrocnemius and plantaris below

Medially
Semimembranosus and semitendinosus above, medial head of gastrocnemius below

Floor
Popliteal surface of the femur, posterior ligament of knee joint and popliteus muscle

Roof
Superficial and deep fascia.

The abdominal aorta begins at the level of the body of T12 near the midline, as a continuation of the thoracic aorta. It descends and bifurcates at the level of L4 into the common iliac arteries.

The branches of the abdominal aorta (with their vertebra level) are:
1. Inferior phrenic arteries: T12 (upper border)
2. Coeliac artery: T12
3. Superior mesenteric artery: L1
4. Middle suprarenal arteries: L1
5. Renal arteries: Between L1 and L2
6. Gonadal arteries: L2 (in males, it is the testicular artery, and in females, the ovarian artery)
7. Inferior mesenteric artery: L3
8. Median sacral artery: L4
9. Lumbar arteries: Between L1 and L4

The superior phrenic artery branches from the thoracic aorta.

The vagus nerve is a mixed nerve with both autonomic and somatic effects. Its most important somatic effect is the motor supply to the larynx via recurrent laryngeal nerves. If one vagus nerve is damaged, the result will be the same as damage to a single recurrent laryngeal nerve, leading to hoarseness of voice.

The vagus exits the skull via the jugular foramen, accompanied by the accessory nerve.

Anal tone, erections, and urination are all controlled by the sacral parasympathetic and would not be affected by the loss of the vagus. Parasympathetic controlled pupillary constriction is via the oculomotor nerve and would not be affected by the loss of the vagus.

The portal vein arises from the splenic and mesenteric veins, and is the biggest vessel in the portal venous system, accounting for about 75% of the hepatic blood flow.

It is responsible for draining blood from parts of the gastrointestinal system, the spleen, the pancreas and the gallbladder into the liver.

The superior mesenteric artery branches from the abdominal aorta just 1-2 cm below the origin of the celiac trunk. It lies posterior to the body of the pancreas and splenic vein and is separated from the aorta by the left renal vein. It passes forwards and inferiorly, anterior to the uncinate process of the pancreas and the third part of the duodenum, to enter the root of the small bowel mesentery and supply the midgut.

The important landmarks of vessels arising from the abdominal aorta at different levels of vertebrae are:

T10 – oesophageal opening in the diaphragm

T12 – Coeliac trunk, aortic hiatus in the diaphragm

L1 – Left renal artery

L2 – Testicular or ovarian arteries

L3 – Inferior mesenteric artery

L4 – Bifurcation of the abdominal aorta.

The oesophagus has four layers namely; 1. the mucosal layer, 2. the submucosal layer, 3. the muscular layer and 4. the layer of loose connective tissue which binds to the outer mucosal layer. The oesophagus lacks the serosal layer and therefore holds sutures poorly.

The mucosal layer consists of muscularis mucosa and the lamina propria and is made up of non keratinised stratified squamous epithelium. The mucosal layer is the innermost layer of the oesophagus.

The submucosal layer being the strongest layer of all has mucous glands which are called as the tuboalveolar mucous glands.

The outer muscular layer has two types of muscle layers of which one is the circular layer and the other the longitudinal layer. The Auerbach’s and Meissner’s nerve plexuses lie in between the longitudinal and circular muscle layers and submucosally. The muscle fibres present in the upper 1/3rd part of the oesophagus are skeletal muscle fibres, the middle 1/3rd layer has both smooth and skeletal muscle fibres, but the lower 1/3rd only has smooth muscle fibres.

The loose connective tissue layer or the adventitious layer has dense fibrous tissue.

The ureter runs anterior to the vertebrae at the level of L2 to L5, and stones are usually seen at these points on x-ray.

They can also be seen at the level of the sacro-iliac joints.

The upper limb venous drainage is divided into superficial and deep. The superficial veins are accessible to draw blood for investigations. The cephalic, basilic, and median cubital veins are superficial veins.

The median cubital vein connects the cephalic vein and basilic vein. It is located anteriorly in the antecubital fossa and is preferred for venepuncture due to its palpability and ease of access.

The basilic vein and cephalic vein are the primary veins that drain the upper limb. They begin as the dorsal venous arch. The basilic vein originates from the ulnar side, while the cephalic vein originates from the radial side of the dorsal arch of the upper limb.

The right coronary artery supplies the right ventricle, the right atrium, the sinoatrial (SA) node and the atrioventricular (AV) node.

The circumflex artery originates from the left coronary artery and is supplied by it.