| descending branch | Branch of an artery or nerve passing inferiorly. Descending branches have been described for the following: descending branch of hypoglossal nerve, superior root of ansa cervicalis; descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery; descending branch of the occipital artery. Synonym: ramus descendens. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| descending branch of hypoglossal nerve | The fibres that arise from the first and second cervical nerves, accompany the hypoglossal nerve, then branch off to meet the inferior root in the ansa cervicalis; they innervate the infrahyoid muscles. Synonym: descendens hypoglossi, descending branch of hypoglossal nerve, radix superior ansae cervicalis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery | <anatomy, artery> A major branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery accompanying the nerve to the vastus lateralis muscle along the anterior border of that muscle and deep to the rectus femoris muscle, supplying both muscles. Anastomosis: with lateral superior genicular artery, i.e., it contributes to the articular network of the knee. Synonym: ramus descendens arteriae circumflexae femoris lateralis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| descending branch of occipital artery | <anatomy, artery> Origin: occipital artery within occipital groove; distribution: posterior neck muscles and cervical trapezius muscle; anastomoses: superficial and deep cervical arteries, vertebral artery. Synonym: ramus descendens arteriae occipitalis, princeps cervicis artery, princeps cervicis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| descending posterior branch | The descending posterior branch of the superior lobar branch of the right pulmonary artery. Synonym: ramus posterior descendens. (05 Mar 2000) |
| digastric branch of facial nerve | <anatomy, nerve> Branch of the facial nerve innervating the posterior belly of the digastric muscle. Synonym: ramus digastricus nervi facialis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal branch | <anatomy, nerve> The smaller, posteriorly-directed major terminal branch (with the ventral primary ramus) of all 31 pairs of mixed spinal nerves, formed at the intervertebral foramen and turning abruptly posteriorly to divide into lateral and medial branches, both of which will supply the deep (true) muscles of the back. The medial branch (rami medialis ) of the dorsal primary ramus also supplies articular branches to the zygopophyseal joints and the periosteum of the vertebral arch. In the neck and upper back, the medial branch continues through the deep and superficial back muscles to supply overlying skin; in the lower back, the lateral branch does this. Nomina Anatomica lists dorsal primary rami as "rami dorsales" for each group of spinal nerves: 1) cervical (nervorum cervicalium ), 2) thoracic (nervorum thoracicorum ), 3) lumbar (nervorum lumbalium ), 4) sacral (nervorum sacralium ), and 5) coccygeal (nervi coccygei ). Synonym: ramus dorsalis nervorum spinalium, ramus dorsalis, rami posteriores nervorum spinalium, dorsal branch, posterior primary division. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal branch of the lumbar artery | <anatomy, artery> Terminal branch (with ventral branch) of the 4-5 lumbar arteries, distributed to lumbar portion of back, posterior vertebral column, and spinal cord and environs. Synonym: ramus dorsalis arteriae lumbalium. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal branch of the posterior intercostal arteries 3-11 | Terminal branch (with ventral branch) of the 3rd through 11th posterior intercostal arteries, distributed to thoracic portion of posterior vertebral column, spinal cord and environs, and back. Synonym: ramus dorsalis arteriarum intercostalium posteriorum III-XI. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal branch of the posterior intercostal veins 4-11 | Major tributary of the 4th through 11th posterior intercostal veins; area drained is the same as that supplied by the dorsal branch of posterior intercostal arteries. Synonym: ramus dorsalis venarum intercostalium posteriorum IV-XI. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal branch of the subcostal artery | <anatomy, artery> Terminal branch (with ventral branch) of subcostal artery, distributed to posterior vertebral column, spinal cord and environs, and back at the T12-L1 vertebral level. Synonym: rami dorsales arteriae subcostalis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal branch of the superior intercostal artery | <anatomy, artery> Branches of the 1st and 2nd posterior intercostal arteries which arise as branches of the supreme intercostal artery. The distribution is the same as for the dorsal branches of the other posterior intercostal arteries at the T1-T2 vertebral level. Synonym: rami dorsales arteriae intercostalis supremae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal branch of the ulnar nerve | <anatomy, nerve> Branch arising from the ulnar nerve proximal to the wrist for distribution to the medial side of the dorsum of the hand and proximal portion of the little finger and medial side of ring finger. Synonym: rami dorsales nervi ulnaris. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal carpal branch of radial artery | <anatomy, artery> A branch of the radial artery that passes to the back of the wrist to join the dorsal carpal network. Synonym: ramus carpalis dorsalis arteriae radialis, ramus carpeus dorsalis arteriae radialis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal carpal branch of ulnar artery | <anatomy, artery> A branch of the ulnar artery that passes to the dorsal side of the carpus to enter the dorsal carpal network. Synonym: ramus carpeus dorsalis arteriae ulnaris, ramus carpalis dorsalis arteriae ulnaris. (05 Mar 2000) |