A
circulatory anastomosis is a connection (an
anastomosis) between two
blood vessels, such as between
arteries (arterio-arterial anastomosis), between veins (veno-venous anastomosis) or between an artery and a vein (arterio-venous anastomosis). Anastomoses between arteries and between veins result in a multitude of
arteries and
veins, respectively, serving the same volume of tissue. Such anastomoses occur normally in the body in the
circulatory system, serving as backup routes for blood to flow if one link is blocked or otherwise compromised, but may also occur pathologically.