Cadaveric study of branching pattern of celiac trunk with rare variations

Aditi Dubey¹, Preeti Shrivastava^2*, Amit Sharma³

^1,2Department of Anatomy, North Delhi Municipal Corporation Medical College and Hindu Rao Hospital, Malkaganj, Delhi, INDIA.

³Guru Govind Singh College of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Burnpur, INDIA.

Email: drpreetishrivastava@gmail.com

Abstract               Celiac Trunk (CT) or celiac artery is the major ventral branch of the abdominal aorta supplying the supracolic compartment of the abdomen. Anatomical variations in the branching pattern of Celiac axis have been reported earlier (1,2,3) and are of great surgical importance. Lot of variations was found in the branching pattern of CT during routine cadaveric dissection in the department of Anatomy, North Delhi Municipal Corporation Medical College and Hindu Rao Hospital, Delhi. Hence, a study was taken up to dissect and examine 10 cadavers available in the department. The CT was studied for accessory branches and their pattern of emergence. Length of each branch was measured and appropriate photographs were taken. In this study trifurcation of celiac trunk is seen in (70%; 7 out of 10 cases), bifurcation in (10%; 1 out of 10 cases), pentafurcation in (10%; 1 out of 10 cases) and heptafurcation also in (10%; 1 out of 10 cases). Tetrafurcating, Hexafurcating and absent celiac trunk was not observed in our study. Rare variations in the CT branching are found in higher proportion than previously reported.

Key Words: Celiac trunk; celiac artery; celiac axis; Anatomic variations; Cadaveric study

Key Message: Some unique branching pattern of celiac trunk have been reported.