celiac plexus

Main Entry: celiac plexus
Function: noun
: a nerve plexus that is situated in the abdomen behind the stomach and in front of the aorta and the crura of the diaphragm,surrounds the celiac artery and the root of the superior mesenteric artery, contains several ganglia of which the most important are the celiac ganglia, and distributes nerve fibers to all theabdominal viscera called also solar plexus

celiac plexus n.

1. The largest of the autonomic plexuses, lying in front of the aorta at the level of the origin of the celiac artery and behind the stomach, formed by the splanchnic and the vagus nerves and by cords from the celiac and superior mesenteric ganglia, and branching to all the abdominal viscera through its connections with the other abdominal plexuses. Also called solar plexus.

2. A lymphatic plexus formed of the superior mesenteric lymph nodes and of the nodes behind the stomach, duodenum, and pancreas, with the connecting vessels.