A 48-year-old woman is admitted to the emergency department with a complaint of severe abdominal pain. Radiographic examination reveals advanced carcinoma of the head of the pancreas. A celiac plexus block is performed to relieve her pain. Which of the following best describes the nerve structures that are most likely to be present in the celiac ganglion?
Preganglionic and postganglionic sympathetics, preganglionic parasympathetic, and visceral afferent fibers are present within the celiac ganglion. The cell bodies of postganglionic sympathetic fibers are contained within the celiac ganglion and their axons pass to upper abdominal organs. Preganglionic parasympathetic nerves also run through the ganglion but do not synapse within the ganglion; therefore, there are no postganglionic parasympathetic nerves in the ganglion. The preganglionic parasympathetic fibers are extensions from the right vagal trunk and run within the preaortic plexus. No somatic motor fibers are present within this ganglion. Running through all of the abdominal ganglia are also visceral afferent fibers passing superiorly to reach the spinal cord at spinal nerve levels T5 to L2. Answer B is incorrect because there are no postganglionic parasympathetic fibers running within the ganglion or the celiac plexus. Postganglionic parasympathetic nerves arise from terminal ganglia located upon, or within the wall of, target organs. Answers C and E are incorrect because they do not include postganglionic sympathetic cell bodies and their axons, which also run though the celiac ganglion.
Preganglionic parasympathetic and somatic motor fibers
Postganglionic parasympathetic and visceral afferent fibers
Postganglionic sympathetic and visceral afferent fibers
Pre- and postganglionic sympathetic, preganglionic parasympathetic, and visceral afferent fibers
Abdomen & Pelvis