Unusual Variation in the Branching Pattern of the Celiac Trunk and Its Embryological and Clinical Perspective

Knowledge of variations in the branching pattern of Celiac Trunk (CT) is important for surgeries of stomach, duodenum, pancreas and hepatobiliary region, for abdominal aortic aneurysm, for liver transplant and chaemoembolization of hepatic tumours. An unusual variation in the branching pattern of CT was observed in 50-year-old male cadaver of Indian origin. CT divided into six branches out of which right & left inferior phrenic arteries originated as first two branches and left gastric artery as the third branch. CT ended into three terminal branches as common hepatic artery, splenic artery & dorsal pancreatic artery. Right gastric artery originated from left hepatic artery instead of common hepatic artery. A variant hepatic artery to the left lobe of liver was also observed which originated from right gastric artery. Anatomical variations in the branching pattern of CT are due to developmental changes in ventral splanchnic artery.