Global Journal of Medical Research, K: Interdisciplinary, Volume 22 Issue 1

ventricle, it becomes more expansive on the right and narrower as it reaches the left.) (al-Ma ǧū s ī 1939:65) At the base of the pulmonary artery, starting from the right ventricle, is a funnel-like transition, a funnel-like cavity tapering off towards the left and upwards, and a smooth-walled exit from the right ventricle to the pulmonary valve. This cavity is located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. It continues at the level of the coronary sulcus into the pulmonary artery, leaving the heart to the left. In the heart description of Ibn S ī n ā , it is a passage, a channel ( ma ǧ r ā ) between the two ventricles, which expands as the heart expands and then compresses as the heart elongates. It moves with the heart like the part in the right ventricle from which the pulmonary artery originates. I used modern anatomical textbooks and online image and video sources to identify the blood vessels in the text of Ibn S ī n ā . I wrote the Latin names of the recalled blood vessels in parentheses to translate the Arabic text, and I identified the blood vessels already named in Arabic in the text from the trilingual anatomical dictionary of Adolf Fonahn, called ’Arabic and Latin Anatomical Terminology Chiefly from the Middle Ages.’ While reading the text, I made a diagram of the branches of the blood vessels, which made it much easier to identify them. In many places in the anatomical description, we can only know that the blood vessel in question branches in three, four, or five directions and travels in specific directions or towards certain parts of the body. There is always a branch among them, indeed the largest one, and by connecting these largest branches, we get the full path of a given blood vessel from the beginning to the end, such as the route of superior vena cava from the right ventricle (branches in two directions) – brachiocephalic vein (units towards five) – subclavian vein (units towards 4) – axillary vein (units towards 3) – basilic vein (2 branches branch to 4 at the forearm) – cubital median vein (branches towards 2) – salvatella vein from the heart to fingers Tracing these routes is not easy because the veins in question run in exactly the opposite direction to the way the medieval text seeks to follow their route, thus making it necessary to constantly rely on knowledge from other types of sources (anatomical textbooks) to establish the successive places by which the particular blood vessel passes. In the Arabic text, the veins start from the liver and from there enter the heart or travel downwards towards the legs. The arteries begin from the heart and travel towards the head and body. In some cases, erroneous conclusions can be identified in description of Ibn S ī n ā wherever he connects blood vessels with different origins: For example, Ibn S ī na also classifies vertebral vein from the ribs as a branch of the subclavian vein , but it no longer flows into the vein under the clavicle but directly into the brachiocephalic vein . Or, for example, the two iliac veins ( v. iliaca communis dextra and sinistra ) ten at their branching mix the branches of the inner and outer iliac veins. The first to fourth branches describe the outer branches, the fifth to eighth branches of the internal iliac veins, and then the ninth branch actually again belongs only to the external and the tenth branch to the internal iliac vein. Description of veins (Ibn S ī n ā 1987: Volume 1 / Book 1 84-89) The quiet blood vessels ( al-‘ur ū q as-s ā kina ) or veins all start from the liver. 9 First, two blood vessels grow out of the liver: one on the concave side. The main merit of this blood vessel is the involvement of food in the liver, it is called the al-b ā b ( v. portae ). The other blood vessel exits the convex side. It main function is to transport food from the liver to the organs, called the empty vein. ( al-a ǧ waf ) ( v. cava (inferior) ). 10 Anatomy of the portal vein (v. portae) 11 First, the deep part of the portal vein in the liver is divided into five branches and then gives further sm alle r units until it reaches the convex surfaces of the liver : 12 . From here, a vein ( v. cystica ) leads to the 10 Year 2022 Global Journal of Medical Research Volume XXII Issue I Version I ( D ) K © 2022 Global Journals Basics of the Medieval Arabic Medicine: The Vascular Systems in the Canon of Medicine of Avicenna Incorporating a Translation of a Part of the First Book Sometimes Avicenna begins to describe a blood vessel and then describes another blood vessel as if it were a continuation of the previous blood vessel. Such as in explaining the branches of internal jugular vein and external jugular vein . It also assigns units belonging to another blood vessel to branches belonging to the blood vessel described. 9 According to the Galenic vision, the liver is the place where blood is born, the center of venous system and the source of nourishing power. 10 The visceral surface of the liver (the part facing the viscera) is concave, here is the he paticportal ( porta hepatis ). This is where the hepatic portal vein ( v. portae ), also known as the varicose vein, enters the liver. The hepatic portal vein is formed behind the head of the pancreas from the confluence of the posterior intestinal vein (v. mesenterica superior ) and splenicvein ( v. lienalis/ v.splenica .) Upon reaching the hepatic portal, it usually enters in two branches. The posterior empty vein ( v. cava inferior ) does not originate from the liver but is formed by the confluence of the two common iliac veins ( v. iliacacommunis ) at 4th-5th lumbar vertebrae. After collecting the used blood from the legs, pelvic and abdominal organs, and then taking blood from the liver, it draws blood from there. The inferior vena cava is just embedded into the liver, rather than divided into branches in it or becoming part of it. The veins of the liver release branches into it, the blood of which is thus carried on to the heart. Because the empty vein embedded into the liver and leaves it toward the convex side, ancient and medieval observers may have thought that the vein originated in the liver. In fact, all blood vessels (arteries, veins) come out or enter the liver gate. 11 The portal vein carries venous blood corresponding to the odd branches of the abdominal aorta into the liver. (The odd branches of the abdominal aorta travel to the stomach, intestines, pancreas, spleen, and liver.) 12 The liver has a portal circulation, which means that the vein enters the gland and divides into capillaries like an artery, then collects and leaves as a vein. Within the liver, the hepatic artery (which also arrived through the hepatic portal) to nourish the liver, its capillaries is mixed with capillaries collected by portal vein, then split into branches, and then flowed together into the 3-5 large hepatic veins ( vv. hepaticae ) and through them into the inferior venacava ( v. cava inferior ).