The branches of the celiac trunk

Abstract

156 abdominal preparations were explored by arteriography, corrosion and dissection. Classification of the celiac trunk becomes easy if one considers the trunk to be composed of three main stems: the splenic, the hepatic and the left gastric artery, other vessels being less important collaterals. Usually, the celiac trunk bifurcates into the splenic and the hepatic artery; the left gastric artery is a mobile vessel whose origin may slide between the aorta, all over the celiac trunk up to a trifurcation. The direction of the celiac trunk is influenced by the topography of the pancreatic neck and by the origin of the hepatic artery: if the celiac trunk is not the origin of the hepatic artery it is not directed to the right but to the left. It is the hepatic artery that pulls the celiac trunk to the right. Variations in the origin of the splenic artery are exceptional. In contrast to adults, the diameter of the hepatic artery in young children is larger than that of the splenic artery.