The splenic artery drains into which of the following?

The splenic artery is a major vessel that branches from the celiac trunk and primarily supplies blood to the spleen. It also gives off several branches that supply other structures in the upper abdomen. Specifically, the splenic artery gives rise to the short gastric arteries, which supply the fundus of the stomach, and the left gastroepiploic artery, which supplies the greater curvature of the stomach.

The correct answer emphasizes these connections, detailing how the splenic artery plays a vital role in vascularizing parts of the gastric system. The short gastric arteries branch off to supply blood directly to the stomach, while the left gastroepiploic artery contributes to the anastomosis along the greater curvature of the stomach.

In contrast, other options such as the right gastroepiploic artery, right gastric artery, and common hepatic artery are supplied by different branches of the celiac trunk or other arteries. For example, the right gastroepiploic artery branches off the gastroduodenal artery, which originates from the common hepatic artery, while the right gastric artery also arises from the common hepatic artery. Hence, they do not directly relate to the splenic artery’s drainage.

This context underscores why the splenic artery’s main