41.

Aortic arches – development, evolution, derivatives, anomalies (+CS)

The aortic arches are formed together with the pharyngeal arches.

- Aortic arches 1-3 are formed the septation of the outflow tract; This is why the remainants
of the first 3 aortic arches will be symmetrical.
- Development of the aortic arches 4&6 will occur after the spiral septum formation. This is
why the arch nr. 4 will remain with the aortic sac and the 6th pair will communicate with the
pulmonary artery.
- Also, there will be asymmetrical development between the left and the right side.
- 1st aortic arch – will dissapear almost completely with the exception if the segment that will
give rise to the maxillary artery.
- 2nd aortic arch – will also involute with the exception of the stapedian artery, that will
finally also dissapear. Stapedian artery will pass through the stapes in development of the
middle ear & this is how the orrifice in the stapes is formed.
- 3rd aortic arch – remains large & will form the common carotid artery & the I itial segment
of the I.C.A., more exactly the area of the carotid sinus.
- 4th aortic arch – also will remain & will be a terminal branch from the left & right branches
of the aortic sac. The R branch of the aortic sac will form the brachiocephalic trunk while the
L branch will form the initial segment of the arch of aorta, the final one.
- On the R side, the 4th aortic arch will form the Subclavian artery (proximal segment).
- On the L side, thr 4th aortic arch will form the distal segment of the final arch of aorta.
- 6th aortic arches – are related to the pulmonary and from the proximal segments will give
rise to the R&L pulmonary arteries.
- The distal segment portion of the R side of the 6th aortic arch will dissapear due to the
resorbtion of the distal segment of the R dorsal aorta.
- On the L side, the distal segment of the 6th aortic arch will form ductus arteriosus (Botale).

The most frequent development anomaly = the aortic coarctation (2 types) => lack of
formation of an aortic segment, usually at the junction between the arch of aorta & the
descending aorta.