International Journal of Anatomical Sciences 2010, 1: 31-33.
Research Paper
Variations in the Origin of Left Hepatic Artery
Pushpalatha K, Shamasundar NM, Najma M, Shanmuganathan K.
Department of Anatomy, JSS Medical College, Mysore, Karnataka, India. Department of Anatomy, Aarubadevidu Medical College, Pondicherry, India.
Key Words: left hepatic artery, left gastric artery, celiac trunk, common hepatic artery, liver surgery
Abstract: Hepatic artery is the gateway to successful hepatobiliary surgeries. Left hepatic artery usually arises from the common hepatic artery. Aberrant left hepatic artery may arise from the left gastric / gastro duodenal / right hepatic / celiac trunk / splenic or from superior mesenteric artery (Williams et al., 1996). The origin of Left hepatic artery was studied in 50 cases by dissection method. After dissecting the branching pattern of common hepatic artery was noted and arteries were painted using red fevicryl paint and photograph was taken. Each photograph was given the specimen number. Left hepatic artery was seen arising from left gastric in 6 cases, from hepatic artery proper in 38 cases and from common hepatic in 6 cases. Left hepatic from left gastric lies in hepatogastric ligament and one must know this variation before dividing the ligament to reach the gastro esophageal junction.