Abstract
Thoracic splanchnic nerves conduct pain sensation from the abdominal organs around the celiac ganglion. Splanchnicectomy is the procedure used mainly for the control of intractable visceral pain. Fortyβsix human posterior thoracic walls were dissected. The formation pattern, course, and incidence of communication of the thoracic splanchnic nerves were investigated. The greater splanchnic nerves (GSNs) were formed by nerve branches from the T4βT11 thoracic sympathetic ganglia and the most common type was formed by T5βT9 (21.7%). The uppermost branches originated from T4βT9 while the lowermost branches emanated from the T7βT11. Two to seven ganglia contributed to the GSNs. In 54.3% of the specimens, at least one ganglion in the GSNβtributary ganglionic array did not branch to the GSN. The lesser splanchnic nerves (LSNs) were formed by the nerve branches of the T8βT12 thoracic sympathetic ganglia and the most common type was formed by T10 and T11 (32.6%). One to five ganglia were involved in the LSNs. The least splanchnic nerves (lSNs) were composed of branches from the T10βL1 thoracic sympathetic ganglia and the most common type was composed of nerve branches from T11 and T12 or from T12 only (each 30.4%). One to three ganglia were involved in the lSNs. In 54.3% of the specimens, interconnection between the GSNs and the LSNs existed, bringing the possible bypass around the transection of the GSNs. The splanchnic nerves that appear in textbooks occurred in a minority of our specimens. We provided expanded anatomical data for splanchnicectomy in this report. Clin. Anat. 21:171β177, 2008. Β© 2008 WileyβLiss, Inc.