The abdominal aorta is a region of the descending aorta, originating superiorly as a continuation of the thoracic aorta as it passes through an opening in the diaphragm, and terminating inferiorly as the abdominal aorta bifurcates (divides into two structures) into the left and right common iliac arteries.

The abdominal aorta is a large-lumened, unpaired arterial vessel that is part of the main trunk of the systemic arterial system. As such, the abdominal aorta supplies oxygenated blood, pumped by the left ventricle of the heart, to the abdominal and pelvic organs and structures via visceral and parietal arterial branches.

The abdominal aorta and its major arterial branches are highly elastic. During systole (heart muscle contraction), the aortic and arterial walls expand to accommodate the increased blood flow. Correspondingly, the vessels contract during diastole and elastin fibers assure that this contraction also serves to drive blood through...