Bifurcation
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
Bifurcation, derived from the Latin for two-pronged, refers to the anatomical division of a tubular or strand-like organ into two equally sized branches at a specific angle. Examples include the branching of the trachea into two main bronchi and the division of the aorta into the common iliac arteries.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
BIFURCATION, bifurcatio (from the Latin bis twice and furca fork), in biology refers to the division of any organ having the shape of a tube or long strand into two branches of equal size at a definite angle to each other. Examples of bifurcation can be the division of the trachea into two bronchial tubes (bifurcation of the trachea), the division of the aorta into the iliac arteries, the division of the rays in ophiuroids into two parts, etc.
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“Bifurcation.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/bifurcation/