Anterior vagal trunk

Anterior vagal trunk
The tracheobronchial lymph nodes
Course and distribution of the glossopharyngeal, vagus, and accessory nerves.
Details
Identifiers
Latin	Truncus vagalis anterior
TA98	A14.2.01.174
TA2	6674
FMA	6226
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy [edit on Wikidata]

The anterior vagal trunk is one of the two divisions (the other being the posterior vagal trunk) into which the vagus nerve splits as it passes through the esophageal hiatus to enter the abdominal cavity.^[1] The anterior and posterior vagal trunks represent the inferior continuation of the esophageal nervous plexus inferior to the diaphragm.^[2] The majority of nerve fibres in the anterior vagal trunk are derived from the left vagus nerve.^[1]

The anterior vagal trunk is responsible mainly for providing parasympathetic innervation to the lesser curvature of the stomach, pylorus, gallbladder, and biliary apparatus.^[1]

Anatomy

Branches

Hepatic branch which supply the liver,^[3]^[1] gallbladder, and biliary apparatus.^[1]
Celiac branch which contributes parasympathetic afferents to the celiac plexus.^[1]
Anterior gastric branches which supply the stomach.^[3]^[1]
Anterior and posterior nerves of Latarjet which innervate the pylorus, and proximal duodenum.^[1]

Clinical significance

The anterior vagal trunk and its branches are at risk of iatrogenic injury during surgeries of the distal oesophagus, stomach, proximal duodenum, gallbladder, and biliary tract.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Baquiran, Maximo; Bordoni, Bruno (2022), "Anatomy, Head and Neck, Anterior Vagus Nerve", StatPearls, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, PMID 31613476, retrieved 2022-08-08
^ "truncus vagalis". TheFreeDictionary.com. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
^ ^a ^b Netter, Frank H. (2006). Atlas of Human Anatomy : With netteranatomy.com (Netter Basic Science). Philadelphia: Saunders. p. 320. ISBN 1-4160-3385-8.

External links

thoraxlesson5 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (postmediastinumlevel2)

The cranial nerves

Terminal (CN 0)

Nuclei
- septal nuclei
Course
- no significant branches

Olfactory (CN I)

Nuclei
- anterior olfactory nucleus
Course
- olfactory bulb
- olfactory tract

Optic (CN II)

Nuclei
- lateral geniculate nucleus
Course
- optic chiasm
- optic tract

Oculomotor (CN III)

Nuclei
- oculomotor nucleus
- Edinger–Westphal nucleus
Branches

Trochlear (CN IV)

Nucleus
Branches
- no significant branches

Trigeminal (CN V)

Nuclei
- PSN
- spinal trigeminal nucleus
- MN
- TMN
Course
- trigeminal ganglion
Branches

Abducens (CN VI)

Nucleus
Branches
- no significant branches

Facial (CN VII)

Near origin	Intermediate nerve Geniculate
Inside facial canal	Greater petrosal pterygopalatine ganglion Nerve to the stapedius Chorda tympani lingual nerve submandibular ganglion
At stylomastoid foramen	Posterior auricular Suprahyoid digastric stylohyoid Parotid plexus temporal zygomatic buccal mandibular cervical
Nuclei	Facial motor nucleus Solitary nucleus Superior salivary nucleus

Vestibulocochlear (CN VIII)

Glossopharyngeal (CN IX)

Before jugular fossa	Ganglia superior inferior
After jugular fossa	Tympanic tympanic plexus lesser petrosal otic ganglion Stylopharyngeal branch Pharyngeal branches Tonsillar branches Lingual branches Carotid sinus
Nuclei	Nucleus ambiguus Inferior salivatory nucleus Solitary nucleus

Vagus (CN X)

Before jugular fossa	Ganglia superior inferior
After jugular fossa	Meningeal branch Auricular branch
Neck	Pharyngeal branch pharyngeal plexus Superior laryngeal external internal Recurrent laryngeal Superior cervical cardiac
Thorax	Inferior cardiac Pulmonary Vagal trunks anterior posterior
Abdomen	Celiac Renal Hepatic Anterior gastric Posterior gastric
Nuclei	Nucleus ambiguus Dorsal nucleus of vagus nerve Solitary nucleus