Illustrated Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation: Opus II: Cardiovascular System: Arteries: Abdomen

Celiac Trunk Arteries

Ronald A. Bergman, PhD
Adel K. Afifi, MD, MS
Ryosuke Miyauchi, MD
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed

The celiac trunk may be absent (0.4%, Poynter); the branches usually arising from it then arise from the aorta. In one case, the splenic gave rise to the left gastric, and the common hepatic originated from the superior mesenteric.

The trunk may be shorter or longer than usual. In the latter case, the branches commonly arise separately from the trunk instead of radiating from a single point.

The trunk may have only two branches, usually the splenic and the common hepatic, more rarely the left gastric and splenic, or it may have more than three branches. The additional branch may be one of the inferior phrenics, a trunk common for the inferior phrenics or for a inferior phrenic and left gastric, a gastroduodenal (or an accessory gastroduodenal), a second left gastric or an accessory splenic artery, a superior mesenteric (1.4%, Poynter), a middle or accessory middle colic, a supreme pancreatic, or a dorsal pancreatic.

One of the usual branches of the celiac artery may be absent, and may be replaced by a stem common to the inferior phrenics, by the right middle suprarenal and the right gastroepiploic, or more rarely by some other branch. One of the branches of the celiac trunk may give rise to the superior mesenteric artery.

The celiac, superior mesenteric, and inferior mesenteric may be joined together by one continuous longitudinal anastomosis.

Cases of "celiac trunk" in the form of a splenogastric trunk or a hepatosuperior mesenteric trunk have been reported.

A branch of the celiac trunk may pass through the esophageal hiatus of the diaphragm to supply the lower medial quarter of the right lung.

The following table illustrates the percentage frequency of variations commonly encountered (from Branco via Poynter):

Dupuis and Barnay (1874) reported a celiac trunk giving rise to five arteries: 1) left gastro-epiploic, 2) splenic, 3) right gastro-epiploic, 4) hepatic and 5) inferior phrenic.

A celiac artery may give rise to an esophageal artery or a pulmonary artery.

Image 108, Image 255A, Image 255B, Image 255C, Image 255D, Image 255E, Image 255F, Image 333, Image 517

Image 333A

Gastroduodenal

Image 17, Image 101, Image 108

Right Gastroepiploic

See Image 101, Image 254B

Dorsal Pancreatic

See Image 101

Splenogastric Trunk

Image 269

Hepatogastric Trunk

Image 254A

Hepatomesenteric Trunk

Image 237

Lienogastric Trunk, Lienohepatic Trunk, and Lienohepatomesenteric Trunk

See Images 237, 333

Retroduodenal Course

See Image 101, Image 341

Gastrohepatic Trunk, Gastrolienal Trunk

See Images 237, 333

Gastrosplenic Trunk (of Splenic)

See Image 269, Image 430

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