What is the blood supply of the middle esophagus?

The blood supply of the middle esophagus primarily comes from the bronchial arteries and esophageal arteries. The bronchial arteries are branches of the thoracic aorta that supply oxygenated blood to the bronchial tree, and they also provide some blood supply to the esophagus as they travel down alongside it. The esophageal arteries, which also branch from the thoracic aorta, specifically supply blood to the esophageal tissue.

In contrast, the left gastric artery primarily supplies the stomach, not the esophagus, and the inferior thyroid artery is involved in supplying blood to the thyroid gland rather than the esophagus. The abdominal aorta does supply arteries to the esophagus, but this is not exclusive, as the main blood supply of the middle esophagus is more directly derived from the bronchial and esophageal arteries in the thoracic region. Understanding the vascular anatomy related to the esophagus helps in appreciating how it receives blood supply from multiple sources, but the middle part is chiefly supported by the mentioned arteries.