The bronchial arteries supply nutrients and oxygen to the root of the lungs, the supporting tissues of the lungs, and the visceral pleura of the lungs. The right and left bronchial arteries supply the right and left lungs respectively. It is a common mistake to believe that the lungs take their only blood supply from the right side of the heart, which is the side of the heart that pumps blood to the lungs to be oxygenated. The bronchial arteries instead take their blood supply from the left side of the heart, which is the side responsible for supplying oxygenated blood to the body. The left bronchial arteries are supplied directly by the thoracic aorta, while the single right bronchial artery is supplied by either:

• 1) a left bronchial artery;
• 2) the thoracic aorta at a common trunk with the right 3rd posterior intercostal artery;
• 3) an upper posterior intercostal artery.

The path of a bronchial artery goes from one of the blood supplies described above, to the upper esophagus, to the posterior main bronchi, then supplying the respiratory bronchioles and pleura.

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