Vascular anastomoses among abdominal organs in laboratory animals.

Vascular anastomoses among abdominal organs were studied in 289 laboratory mammals. Arterial anastomoses joining the wall or the parenchyma of the abdominal organs were studied in 108 animals and were found among the stomach, the spleen and the pancreas. In the cat, such anastomoses occur in 86.7% of cases, in the guinea pig in 73.3%, in the hedgehog in 61.1%, in the rabbit in 3.3%. The highest mean value was found in the cat: 3.1 anastomoses. Venous anastomoses were studied in 181 animals and were found among the stomach, the spleen and the pancreas, too. With the exception of the guinea pig (found in 89.1% of cases), these anastomoses were found almost in all cases of other five examined species. They mostly occur between the stomach and the spleen, and between the spleen and the pancreas with some differences in the guinea pig and the cat. The highest mean value was found in the rat: 6.1 anastomoses. For the present, it is not possible to state any significant differences among orders and species examined. As these vascular anastomoses occur also in man, we believe that they should be preserved during surgical procedures.