The celiac plexus, also called the solar plexus, is a complex network of nerves located in the abdomen, near important arteries like the celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, and renal arteries branching from the abdominal aorta. Positioned behind the stomach and omental bursa, and in front of the crura of the diaphragm, it lies near the first lumbar vertebra. The plexus is formed partly by the greater and lesser splanchnic nerves and fibers from the anterior and posterior vagal trunks. It includes the celiac ganglia and often the aorticorenal ganglia, forming a vital neural network in the abdomen.
Structure
The celiac plexus includes a number of smaller plexuses:
Other plexuses that are derived from the celiac plexus:
Terminology
The celiac plexus is often popularly referred to as the solar plexus. In the context of sparring or injury, a strike to the region of the stomach around the celiac plexus is commonly called a blow "to the solar plexus". In this case it is not the celiac plexus itself being referred to, but rather the region around it. A blow to this region may cause the diaphragm to spasm, resulting in difficulty in breathing—a sensation commonly known as "getting the wind knocked out of you". It may also affect the celiac plexus itself, which can cause great pain and interfere with the functioning of the viscera.
Clinical significance
A blunt injury to the celiac plexus normally resolves with rest and deep breathing.
A celiac plexus block by means of fluoroscopically guided injection is sometimes used to treat intractable pain from cancers2 such as pancreatic cancer. Such a block may be performed by pain management specialists and radiologists, with CT scans for guidance.
Intractable pain related to chronic pancreatitis may be an indication for celiac plexus ablation.
See also
External links
- Anatomy photo:40:10-0101 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Posterior Abdominal Wall: The Celiac Plexus"
- figures/chapter_32/32-6.HTM: Basic Human Anatomy at Dartmouth Medical School
- The Solar Plexus: Abdominal Brain By Theron Q. Dumont
References
"Definition of SOLAR PLEXUS". www.merriam-webster.com. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solar+plexus. ↩
Garcia-Eroles X, Mayoral V, Montero A, Serra J, Porta J (2007). "Celiac plexus block: a new technique using the left lateral approach". The Clinical Journal of Pain. 23 (7): 635–7. doi:10.1097/AJP.0b013e31812e6aa8. PMID 17710015. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩