Sympathetic Trunk

Left lateral view of the sympathetic trunk (white arrows), exposed in the dorsal wall of a canine thorax following removal of the ribs. Several rami communicantes (black arrows) can be seen connecting the sympathetic trunk to spinal nerves. Each ramus communicans conveys preganglionic axons to sympathetic trunk ganglia and postganglionic axons to dorsal or ventral branches of spinal nerves. In general, sympathetic trunk ganglia are not evident grossly but at the cranial end of the trunk the cervicothoracic ganglion (asterisk) is visible. An ansa subclavia connects the cervicothoracic ganglion to the middle cervical ganglion and the cervical sympathetic trunk (not labeled).

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