Anomalous origin of the hepatic artery from the hepatomesenteric trunk.

During the routine dissection of the abdominal cavity of a 75 years old, embalmed, male cadaver in the Department of Anatomy, an anomalous origin of the common hepatic artery from the hepatomesenteric trunk was observed. The Hepatomesenteric trunk originated from the ventral surface of the aorta at the L1 level. After coursing anteriorly, the trunk divided into the common hepatic artery and the superior mesenteric artery. The common hepatic artery is normally a branch of the coeliac trunk, but in the present case, the coeliac trunk gave two branches i.e. the left gastric and the splenic arteries. The length and the external diameter of the variant arteries were measured by using a Vernier calliper. The type V of Adachi's classification resembled closely with the variation which was observed. A knowledge on such a variation is important to avoid upheavals during surgical procedures. It is also helpful for the radiologists in interventional processes such as embolization of the hepatic artery and chemotherapy.