Types of coeliac trunk branching including accessory hepatic arteries: a new point of view based on cadaveric study

The coeliac trunk (CT) is major visceral branch of the abdominal aorta. Familiarity with anatomic variations of the CT is relevant for planning radiological and surgical procedures. The aim of our research was determining variations of the CT, including the occurrence of accessory hepatic arteries (AHA).

Forty cadavers were studied. Six patterns of CT branching were observed in this study. AHA were observed in 7 (17.5%) specimens. The most prevalent variation was normal trifurcation, accounting for 62.5% of cases. The rarest variation was absence of the CT, with an incidence of 2.5%. In this variant the left gastric artery, the common hepatic artery, and the splenic artery branched directly off the abdominal aorta.

The study material allowed to distinguish two CT branching patterns which, to the best of our knowledge, have not been reported before. It was a type with four branches originating from the CT: the left gastric artery, the common hepatic artery, the splenic artery, and right AHA. The other previously unreported pattern variant was the CT which gave off three branches: the common hepatic artery, the splenic artery and right AHA.

The average distance between the aortic hiatus and the coeliac trunk calculated for all the cadavers amounted to 54 ± 11.85 mm. The average distance between the CT and the superior mesenteric artery was 11.1 ± 7.7 mm.