A newborn female infant cannot swallow, exhibits persistent drooling, and aspiration or regurgitation of food after attempted feedings. When the infant strains, coughs, or cries, the stomach inflates, elevating the diaphragm and making respiration more difficult. The patient is diagnosed with congenital esophageal atresia at the cervical levels, necessitating surgical repair. During the surgery, the blood supply of the esophagus must be carefully isolated to protect from injury. Which of the following arteries supplies the esophagus at cervical levels?
- bronchial artery
- inferior thyroid artery
- internal thoracic artery
- left inferior gastric artery
- left inferior phrenic artery
Answer(s): B
Explanation:
The inferior thyroid artery provides for the majority of the blood supply of the esophagus at cervical levels. It can be assisted by branches from the common carotid, subclavian, vertebral, ascending pharyngeal, superficial cervical, and costocervical arteries. The bronchial arteries (choice A) supply the thoracic portion of the esophagus and maybe assisted in the lower part by branches of the internal thoracic artery (choice C). The abdominal portion of the esophagus is vascularized by branches from the left inferior gastric artery and left inferior phrenic artery.