Anatomo-topographic and morphometric study of the jejunal arteries in the cat

The jejunal arteries are not profoundly studied in veterinary medicine, especially those regarding cats. Consulting the literature, it was found that most authors referred to carnivores or treated only the dog, while only few studies were specifically related to the cat. In particular, it is not well known how the jejunal vasculature is distributed along the jejunum. The purpose of this study was to clarify the number of jejunal arteries and their respective length, the correspondent number of orders of divisions, the length of the cranial mesenteric artery, the length of the jejunum and, finally, the distribution of the arteries in each respective third of the jejunum. From the present study, it was seen that the number of jejunal arteries, varied from a minimum of 6 to a maximum of 11. These numbers are independent from the length of the cranial mesenteric artery as well as from the length of the jejunum. Furthermore, it was found that the shortest jejunal arteries were more represented in the first third of the jejunum. They presented the highest number of orders of divisions and of terminal branches. On the long run, both parameters, tended to decrease as they approached the terminal tract of the jejunum, and contemporarily, the number of jejunal arteries, increased. From this different distribution of jejunal arteries, it is possible to speculate a different sensitivity of the jejunal tracts against ischemia.