ABSTRACT
The stomach acts as a reservoir for ingested food, where it is mechanically broken down and the process of digestion begins before the ingested content passes into the duodenum. The stomach has an arterial supply on both the lesser and greater curves. On the lesser curve, the left gastric artery, a branch of the coeliac axis, forms an anastomotic arcade with the right gastric artery, which arises from the common hepatic artery. In general, the veins accompany the arteries; those along the lesser curve drain into the portal vein and those on the greater curve drain into the splenic vein. The lymphatics of the stomach are of considerable importance in surgery for gastric cancer. The stomach and duodenum possess both intrinsic and extrinsic nerve supplies. The intrinsic nerves exist principally in two plexuses, the myenteric plexus of Auerbach and the submucosal plexus of Meissner. The stomach has numerous endocrine cells that are critical to its function.
