Anastomosis

An anastomosis (plural anastomoses) is a connection between two structures, organs or spaces. It commonly refers to connections between blood vesselor another tubular structure such as a loop of intestine. For example, when a segment of intestine is resected, the two remaining ends are sewn or stapled together (anastomosed), and the procedure is referred to as an intestinal anastomosis.

Circulatory anastomoses

Anastomoses occur normally in the body in the circulatory system, serving as backup routes for blood to flow if one link is blocked or otherwise compromised. There are many examples of these in the body. However clinically important examples include:

• Circle of Willis(in the brain)
• scapular anastomosis (for the subclavianvessels)
• joint anastomoses - clinically very important. Almost all joints receive anastomotoc blood supply from more than one source. Examples include knee (and geniculate arteries), shoulder (and circumflex humeral), hip (and circumflex iliac) and ankle.
• pelvic anastomoses
• abdominal anastomoses
• hand and foot anastomoses (which include the palmarand plantararches)
• Coronary - a clinically vital subject, the coronary anastomosisis the blood supply to the heart. The coronary arteries are vulnerable to arteriosclerosisand other effects. Inadequate supply to the heart will lead to chest pains (angina) or a heart attack (myocardial infarction).

Surgical anastomoses

Examples of surgical anastomoses are colostomy(an opening created between the bowel and the abdominal skin) and arterio-venous fistula(an opening created between an artery and vein) for hemodialysis.

Others

A pathologicalanastomosis can result from trauma or disease and may involve veins, arteries, or intestines. These are usually referred to as fistulas. In the cases of veins or arteries, traumatic fistulas usually occur between artery and vein. Traumatic intestinal fistulas usually occur between two loops of intestine (enetero-enteric fistula) or intestine and skin(enterocutaneous fistula).de:Anastomose es:Anastomosis fr:Anastomose

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anastomosis Wikipedia article Anastomosis.