The Hepatic arterial anatomy is a gateway to successful hepatobiliary surgeries. It represents one of the many “lessons for general surgeon” as liver transplantation has become a novel life saving surgical procedure. Pre-operative arterial imaging is of utmost importance to plan hepatobiliary surgeries. The Common Hepatic artery bifurcates into left & right hepatic arteries on reaching porta hepatis. These are end arteries & supply right & left halves of liver respectively. The Left Hepatic artery runs vertically towards the umbilical fissure & supplies I , II & III segments of the liver. It usually gives middle hepatic artery that supplies segment IVa & IVb. Abberant left hepatic artery may arise from left gastric, left gastro duodenal, right hepatic, celiac trunk, splenic or superior mesenteric artery (Williams et al, 1996).

The Origin of left hepatic artery was studied in 50 cases by dissection method. After dissecting, the branching pattern of the common hepatic artery was noted and the arteries were painted using red Fevicryl paint & photographs were taken. Each photograph was given specimen number. In the study it was found that Left Hepatic artery originated from left gastric Artery in 8 cases, from Hepatic Artery proper in 35 cases and from Common Hepatic artery in 7 cases. The gastrohepatic ligament which connects the lesser curvature of stomach to liver usually contains both Right & Left gastric arteries. Thus, in cases where left hepatic artery is originating from left gastric artery, one must remember this variation while dividing the ligament during surgical procedures involving gastro esophageal junction

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Dr Yogesh Tatwade