Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA) Practice Test

Which terminal arterial branches emerge from the aorta?

1. Right and left common iliacs

2. Left subclavian and left common carotid

3. Femoral and popliteal arteries

4. Axillary and brachial arteries

The correct answer is: Right and left common iliacs

The right and left common iliac arteries are indeed the terminal branches that emerge from the aorta. The aorta is the largest artery in the body and extends from the heart, curving down through the thoracic and abdominal cavities. As it descends in the abdominal cavity, it eventually bifurcates into the right and left common iliac arteries at the level of the fourth lumbar vertebra. These common iliac arteries play a crucial role in supplying blood to the pelvic organs, lower limbs, and the perineum. The other options consist of arteries that either branch off earlier in the circulatory system or are part of different arterial systems altogether. The left subclavian and left common carotid arteries arise directly from the arch of the aorta, while the femoral and popliteal arteries branch from the external iliac artery, which itself branches from the common iliac arteries. Similarly, the axillary and brachial arteries are branches of the subclavian artery and supply the upper limbs, well above the point where the aorta terminates into the common iliac arteries. Therefore, the choice identifying the right and left common iliac arteries as the terminal branches of the aorta is accurate and relevant in understanding the arterial