Splanchniska

Splanchniska is a Swedish term used in anatomy and medicine to denote the viscera or internal organs, especially those within the thoracic and abdominal cavities, and structures or processes associated with them. In English, the corresponding terms are visceral or splanchnic.

The word derives from Greek splankhnon, meaning viscera. In medical usage, splanchniska covers the organs of the gastrointestinal tract and adjacent visceral structures, as well as the nerves and blood vessels that supply them. The concept emphasizes the functional unit of the abdomen and pelvis as a system of organs that work together to digest, absorb, and regulate internal physiology.

In nervous system anatomy, the splanchnic nerves carry sympathetic preganglionic fibers from the thoracic spinal segments to prevertebral ganglia such as the celiac and mesenteric ganglia. From these ganglia, postganglionic fibers project to the foregut, midgut, and hindgut, providing autonomic control over visceral functions including secretion, motility, and vascular tone. The term also relates to the splanchnic circulation, the arterial supply to abdominal organs primarily through the celiac trunk, superior mesenteric, and inferior mesenteric arteries, which is regulated by autonomic input.

Clinical relevance includes the sensory and autonomic aspects of visceral pain, which can be diffuse and referred to somatic regions. Procedures such as splanchnic nerve blocks or surgical interventions may be used for pain management in certain abdominal conditions. Overall, splanchniska denotes the visceral system and its integrated neural and circulatory regulation.