Final answer:
During a surgical procedure, the pulmonary artery is often divided near or proximal to its bifurcation, which is the point where it divides into left and right branches.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to a surgical procedure concerning the pulmonary artery, which is a single large vessel exiting the right ventricle. This vessel divides to form the right and left pulmonary arteries. During such a procedure, the pulmonary artery might be divided near or proximal to its bifurcation, meaning closer to the point where it splits into its two branches.
The pulmonary artery is the only artery that carries deoxygenated blood, and it starts at the pulmonary trunk, branching off into left and right arteries. These branches lead to smaller arterioles and eventually to the pulmonary capillaries, where gas exchange occurs within the lungs.