Anatomical variations of the hepatic artery: study of 932 cases in liver transplantation

The aim of this study was to identify and to classify anatomical hepatic artery (HA) variations concerning 932 HA dissections in liver transplantation (LT). Normal HA distribution was found in 68.1%. Variations of HA were detected in 31.9% and were divided into three groups describing 48 common hepatic artery (CHA) anomalies, 236 left or right hepatic artery (RHA) anomalies and 13 rare variations including one case of RHA stemmed from the inferior mesenteric artery and one case of normal CHA passed behind the portal vein. The authors propose a modified classification for HA anomalies which are based on the origin of the hepatic arterial supply (either by the CHA as the only source of the arterial vascularization or by additional or replaced right and left arteries) in order to improve management of liver disease thus as in LT.     

Multiple variations of the hepatobiliary vasculature including double cystic arteries, accessory left hepatic artery and hepatosplenic trunk: a case report

Anatomical variations in the origins and branching patterns of the hepatobiliary arterial system may be encountered during both conventional surgical and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We report a rare case of double cystic arteries arising from both the right hepatic artery and the proximal part of the posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery. Additional variations consisting of an accessory left hepatic artery arising from a left gastric which in turn arose from the descending aorta superior to the origin of the celiac trunk and a small left hepatic artery arising from the hepatic proper artery were also noted. The celiac trunk bifurcated into the splenic artery and the common hepatic artery forming a hepatosplenic or lienohepatic trunk. The possible clinical implications are discussed.     

Anomalous hepatic arterial anatomy discovered during pancreaticoduodenectomy

Introduction A number of variations in hepatic arterial anatomy have been described. Anomalous arterial supply is of particular relevance to the hepatobiliary, pancreatic or liver transplant surgeon. Case report We describe the case of a 57-year-old gentleman who presented with painless obstructive jaundice and was found to have a mass in the head of the pancreas. At pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy a distal quadrifurcation of the hepatic artery was discovered. It gave rise to the right hepatic artery, left hepatic artery, intermediate branch and a right accessory hepatic artery. The right accessory hepatic artery gave rise to the gastroduodenal artery. Conclusion The surgeon and interventional radiologist need to be aware of the potential for such aberrant anatomy in order to avoid potentially disastrous complications.     

Surgical anatomy of the vasculobiliary apparatus at the hepatic hilum as applied to liver transplantations and major liver resections

Introduction

To evaluate the hepatic arterial, bile duct and portal venous anatomy as applicable to major liver resections.

Right hepatic artery crossing the common hepatic artery: an unusual blood supply to the liver

To perform hepatic surgery a precise preoperative and intraoperative study of liver vascular supply is mandatory. Detecting vascular variations may have great importance on surgical strategy and outcome, and details of anatomy do not concern only academical knowledge but become deeply involved in practice. We present a case of unusual blood supply to the liver, the common hepatic artery was directed to the right liver and a right hepatic artery originating from the superior mesenteric artery was directed to the left liver. The right hepatic artery crossed the common hepatic artery in the proximal part of the hepatic pedicle, anterior to the portal vein. To our knowledge this type of anatomical variation has not been described before and it represents a rare finding that has to be kept in mind, especially in case of major hepatectomies and more demanding splitting liver procedures such as A.L.P.P.S., in situ split, ex situ split and living donor liver transplantation.     

Variations and topography of the arteries in the lesser omentum in humans

Modern surgical techniques depend in part on knowledge of both the “normal” and the anomalous arterial blood supply. For instance, in liver transplantation, during surgery of the gall-bladder, gastrectomy, and gastric lymphadenectomy, or when selective arterial chemotherapy is used for treatment of liver cancer, aberrant hepatic arteries can be a significant problem. A series of 138 cadavers with arterial latex injection were dissected and 10 corrosion casts were made to obtain an exact knowledge of the topography of the normal and anomalous arteries of the lesser omentum in humans. The so-called normal anatomy was found in only 9% (15 of 148 individuals), the remaining five-sixths presenting some variations from this, many of direct surgical importance. In these cases one or two aberrant hepatic arteries (37%), an artery in the free border of the hepatoduodenal ligament (19%), a right hepatic artery crossing the portal vein posteriorly (4%), the right hepatic artery entering the triangle of Calot anteriorly (29%) or not (7%), or an accessory left gastric artery branching off the left hepatic artery (2%) were found. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Variant anatomy of the cystic artery in adult Kenyans

Knowledge of the variant vascular anatomy of the subhepatic region is important for hepatobiliary surgeons in limiting operative complications due to unexpected bleeding. The pattern of arterial blood supply of 102 gallbladders was studied by gross dissection. The cystic artery originated from the right hepatic artery in 92.2% of cases. The rest were aberrant and originated from the proper hepatic artery. Accessory arteries were observed to originate from proper hepatic artery (n = 5), left hepatic artery (n = 2), and right hepatic artery (n = 1). Most of the arteries approached the gallbladder in relation to the common hepatic duct (anterior 45.1%, posterior, 46.1%). The other vessels passed anterior to common bile duct (2.9%), posterior to common bile duct (3.9%), or were given off in Calot's triangle. Cystic arteries in this data set show wide variations in terms of relationship to the duct systems. In about one tenth of patients, an accessory cystic artery may need to be ligated or clipped during cholecystectomy.     

Superior mesenteric origin of the proper hepatic artery: embryological and clinical implications

The hepatic arteries are subject to a great deal of anatomical variation, potentially complicating hepatobiliary surgical procedures as well as general gastrointestinal procedures that involve foregut and midgut structures. We report a case of a rare variant of the proper hepatic artery discovered during dissection of an 84-year-old male cadaver. In this individual, the common hepatic artery was absent and the proper hepatic artery was replaced directly to the superior mesenteric artery. The gastroduodenal artery and the right inferior phrenic artery took origin from the celiac trunk. In addition, there was no identifiable right gastric artery. The celiac trunk gave off three branches: the splenic, left gastric, and gastroduodenal arteries. The entire arterial blood supply to the liver, therefore, was derived from the superior mesenteric artery. Patterns of regression of the ventral branches and the partial disappearance of the ventral anastomotic arteries during embryonic development play a major role in the variations of the gut arteries. An intraoperative encounter with this particular variant carries a significant risk of iatrogenic injury with potentially devastating ischemia and necrotic results. Accurate depiction and definition of the hepatic arterial anatomy are crucial. Variations like the one described here underscore the importance of pre-operative imaging and knowledge of the embryological origins of variation.     

变异肝动脉的解剖学特点及其临床意义

目的　观察变异肝动脉的解剖学特点,为临床相关血管影像学检查、手术及介入治疗等提供形态学资料。 方法　按常规方法解剖25例成人尸体标本,沿肝总动脉追踪、寻找肝固有动脉的分支并观察分布情况。 结果　本组肝固有动脉及其分支变异率为28%。其中有2例属Hitta分型外的变异肝动脉,肝固有动脉右侧壁未见胃右动脉,而是在左侧壁发出1支动脉主干,远端分支分布于肝和胃,本文称为“肝胃动脉（HGA）”;其中标本2从HGA主干后壁发出1分支,远端也分布于肝和胃,本文称为“肝胃副动脉”。 结论　本组2例起于肝固有动脉左侧壁的HGA,是胃小弯右侧的主要动脉来源,并有分支营养肝和胃的其他部位。此种变异补充了变异肝动脉的形态学资料,对临床有一定的指导价值。     

The right accessory hepatic artery; a case report and review of the literature

A rare case of the right accessory hepatic artery was observed during multidetector-row Computer Tomography examination in a 65-year-old Caucasian female with portal vein thrombosis. This artery arose from the common hepatic artery near the celiac trunk and ran behind the hepatic portal vein to the right lobe of the liver. The diameter of the right accessory hepatic artery when compared to the diameter of the proper hepatic and common hepatic arteries corroborated the functional importance of this vessel. In-depth knowledge of not only “standard” anatomy but also of the numerous angiological variants is necessary in clinical practice. The variation shown in our case has very rarely been reported in medical literature.     

Anatomic variation of the celiac trunk with special reference to hepatic artery patterns

Based on a large homogeneous sample from a Japanese population, anatomic variations in the celiac trunk (CT) and the hepatic artery were studied. Previously we analyzed the branching mode of the CT in 450 Japanese cadavers. In order to maximize the database on the CT and hepatic artery, we examined the anatomy of these arteries in 524 cadavers, a total of 974 cases. A total of 89.8% of cases showed the classical trifurcation of the CT. The typical normal pattern of the CT and the hepatic artery was confirmed in 66.6% and 72.4% of the cadavers, respectively. Variant left and right hepatic arteries were observed in 11.0% and 4.9%, respectively. A variant anatomy involving both the left and right hepatic arteries was found in 1.5%. A common hepatosplenic trunk and a gastrohepatic trunk were seen in 4.4% and 0.3%, respectively. A common hepatic artery (CHA) arising from the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) or directly from the aorta was present in 3.5% or 0.5%, respectively. A hepatosplenomesenteric trunk and a celiomesenteric trunk were encountered in 0.7%, respectively. This anatomical update of the CT and the hepatic artery can be useful for transplantation and general surgeons, as well as vascular radiologists in this area.     

A common hepatic artery passing in front of the portal vein

A variation in liver vascularization was discovered in a 50-year-old man. A single common hepatic artery was found to be responsible for vascularization of the entire liver. This artery was unusual in that it formed the first branch of the superior mesenteric artery, crossing the portal trunk shortly after its origin, and passed in front of the portal vein to reach the hilum of the liver, where it divided into a right and a left branch. This artery was a true common hepatic artery because a gastroduodenal artery emerged from it 2 cm after its origin. A common hepatic artery originating from the mesenteric artery and passing in front of the portal vein has never been described before. The patient had a second anatomical variation: the left gastric artery and the splenic artery arose directly from the aorta, without celiac trunk separation. This observation confirms the importance of carrying out a precise vascular assessment before all types of hepatic or pancreatic surgery, to identify possible variations in the number or trajectory of hepatic arteries.With the collaboration of the association Arold (Boulogne, France)     

变异肝动脉的解剖学特点及其临床意义

目的　观察变异肝动脉的解剖学特点，为临床相关血管影像学检查、手术及介入治疗等提供形态学资料。 方法　按常规方法解剖25例成人尸体标本，沿肝总动脉追踪、寻找肝固有动脉的分支并观察分布情况。 结果　本组肝固有动脉及其分支变异率为28%。其中有2例属Hitta分型外的变异肝动脉，肝固有动脉右侧壁未见胃右动脉，而是在左侧壁发出1支动脉主干，远端分支分布于肝和胃，本文称为“肝胃动脉（HGA）”；其中标本2从HGA主干后壁发出1分支，远端也分布于肝和胃，本文称为“肝胃副动脉”。 结论　本组2例起于肝固有动脉左侧壁的HGA，是胃小弯右侧的主要动脉来源，并有分支营养肝和胃的其他部位。此种变异补充了变异肝动脉的形态学资料，对临床有一定的指导价值。     

Concurrent aberrant right gastric vein directly draining into the liver and variations of the hepatic artery

We report an autopsy on a 46-year-old man, a case that presented the concurrence of two rare vascular variations of the lesser omentum: aberrant right gastric vein draining directly into the liver, and multiple hepatic arteries. Although the left gastric vein emptied into the left aspect of the portal vein, the right one was found to ascend from the gastric lesser curvature along the right aspect of the common bile duct and to reach directly the porta hepatis. A left hepatic artery originating from the left gastric artery entered the porta hepatis in conjunction with the left ramus of the portal vein. A predominant right hepatic artery arose from the superior mesenteric artery and entered the porta hepatis in conjunction with the right ramus of the portal vein. The proper hepatic artery originating from the celiac artery entered the porta hepatis in conjunction with the aberrant right gastric vein. The possibility of a common underlying mechanism for these rare vascular variations is discussed.     

Retroportal proper hepatic artery with malrotated gut

Variations in celiac and hepatic vasculature are common and reported in one in five individuals. We report a rare case of a retroportal proper hepatic artery arising from a celiac trunk with quadruple branching associated with an intraperitoneal duodenum, pancreas and ascending colon. In addition, accessory left hepatic artery arose from the left gastric and the cystic artery originated abnormally from the gastroduodenal artery. Awareness of such variable arterial patterns is relevant in radiological assessment and planning for successful liver transplants, hepatobiliary surgery, portal vein resections and particularly interventional transarterial regional/focal chemoablative procedures of liver.     

The common hepatic artery arising from the left gastric artery

We report three cases with a rare anatomic variation, in which the common hepatic artery (CHA) arose from the left gastric artery. Fewer than ten cases with this anatomic variation have been published in the literature consulted. In each patient, multidetector-row CT image with 3D reformation demonstrated that the hepatic artery arises from the left gastric artery and runs through the lesser omentum. The left, middle, and right hepatic arteries derived from this artery, and no other arterial supply to the liver was seen. The course of the gastroduodenal artery was variable; it derived from the CHA, the splenic artery, or both. No variation was noted in the splenic artery and the superior mesenteric artery.     

Clinical anatomy of the inferior phrenic artery

The majority of anatomical textbooks of gross anatomy offer very little information concerning the anatomy and distribution of the inferior phrenic artery (IPA). In the last decade, however, increased numbers of reports have appeared with reference to the arterial supply of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The IPA is a major source of collateral or parasitized arterial supply to this type of carcinoma, second only to the hepatic artery. The aim of this study was to identify the origin and distribution of the IPA (right and left), in normal and pathological cases, and to apply such findings to the clinical scenario of treating hepatic cancer. We have examined 300 formalin-fixed adult cadavers lacking abdominal pathology, and 30 cadavers derived from patients with HCC. Dissections in normal cadavers showed that the right IPA originated from the: a) celiac trunk in 40% of the specimens; b) aorta in 38%; c) renal in 17%; d) left gastric in 3%; and e) hepatic artery proper in 2% of the specimens. The left IPA originated from the: a) celiac trunk in 47%; b) aorta in 45%; c) renal in 5%; d) left gastric in 2%; and e) hepatic artery proper in 1% of the specimens. The IPA gave rise to eight notable branches: ascending, descending, inferior vena cava, superior suprarenal, middle suprarenal, esophageal, diaphragmatic hiatal, and accessory splenic. The right IPA was always associated with HCC and served as the major collateral artery adjunct to the hepatic artery. These findings could have major implications in the transcatheter embolization of HCC patients.     

The congenital anastomoses between hepatic arteries:angiographic appearance

The purpose of this study was to evaluate congenital anastomoses between hepatic arteries demonstrated on angiography in ten patients and to correlate the anastomosis with types of hepatic arterial anatomy. We evaluated the types of the hepatic arterial anatomy based on Michels’ classification for 720 patients and compared the anatomic types between the patients with the anastomoses (ten patients) and without the anastomoses (710 patients). The diameter of the anastomoses ranged from 1.5 to 3.0 mm (mean, 2.4 mm). Five anastomoses were classified as tortuous type and five as straight type. Based on Michels’ classification for types of hepatic arterial anatomy, eight (80%) of ten patients with the congenital anastomoses were classified as type III (replaced right hepatic artery from superior mesenteric artery). The remaining two patients were classified as type IV (replaced right hepatic artery from superior mesenteric artery and replaced left hepatic artery from left gastric artery) and type VIIIa (replaced right hepatic artery from superior mesenteric artery and accessory left hepatic artery from left gastric artery). Eight (16%) of 48 patients who were classified as type III have the anastomoses. In conclusion, the congenital anastomoses were observed especially in patients with replaced right hepatic artery from superior mesenteric artery.