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Anatomy of the aorta

The aorta stems from the heart, arches upward, and then extends down behind the heart and through the chest (thorax) and the abdomen areas. The aorta then branches out and becomes the iliac arteries, which provide blood to the pelvis and legs.

Primary Medical Reviewer E. Gregory Thompson, MD
- Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer David A. Szalay, MD
- Vascular Surgery
Last Updated March 13, 2006

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: March 13, 2006
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