Properties of the celiac trunk--anatomical study

Although anatomical properties and vessel variations of the celiac trunk are well explored in the literature, there is not so much information on the arterial diameters, and this data is important for surgical procedures and angiographic examinations. The aim of this study was to investigate properties of the celiac trunk in humans by using anatomical dissection. Ninety cadavers were dissected for the celiac trunk identification and arterial diameter measurements. The results of anatomical examination showed that in 72% of all cases the celiac trunk divides into the splenic artery and the common hepatic artery, while the left gastric artery arises as a first branch and had origin between aorta, all over the celiac trunk up to a bifurcation. From the 90 cadavers, 4 presented anatomical variations. Where normal anatomy was present, the mean length of the celiac trunk was 1.9 +/- 0.08 cm and its mean arterial diameter was 0.78 +/- 0.08 cm. The splenic artery had the largest diameter (0.61 +/- 0.05 cm) and the left gastric artery had the smallest diameter (0.38 +/- 0.03 cm). Our data represent original results about anatomical variations and arterial diameter of the celiac trunk and its main branches provided by anatomical dissection.