Right gastric artery
Once food has been ingested, the stomach becomes the first stop in the digestive tract. Here, enzymes and acids begin to break food down. For the stomach to work, it needs a constant supply of oxygenated blood, which is delivered by two specific arteries. The right gastric artery is on the side of the stomach where the pylorus connects to the duodenum. The vessel branches from the common hepatic artery, and it runs two separate courses. The vessel runs along lesser curvature of the stomach, which is the space between the cardiac and pyloric orifices. Also, it runs a course around the entirety greater curvature of the stomach, where it meets with the left gastric artery. While the right gastric artery brings oxygenated blood to the stomach, the right gastric vein drains it away, to the common hepatic vein. From there, the deoxygenated blood flows through the rest of the venal system until it comes to the heart, where it is resupplied with oxygen. Afterwards, this newly oxygenated blood returns to the heart for recirculation throughout the body.
Written and medically reviewed by the Healthline Editorial Team
In Depth: Right gastric artery