[Contribution to the nomenclature of variations of the cystic artery].
BACKGROUND
Safe procedures for laparoscopic cholecystectomy demand good knowledge of the anatomy of the terminal part of the cystic artery and its variations, and also precise dissection in and around the hepatobiliary triangle.


METHODS
Good laparoscopic visualisation enables recognition of the variation of the cystic artery. Our observations are based on 1000 cholecystectomies.


RESULTS
We have described and named variations of the terminal part of the cystic artery. Group I comprises the five variations of the cystic artery within the hepatobiliary triangle: (a) "normal" position; (b) frontal cystic artery; (c) backside; (d) multiple; (e) short cystic artery that arises from an aberrant right hepatic artery. Group II consists of variations of the cystic artery that approach--the gallbladder beyond the hepatobiliary triangle: (a) "low-lying"; (b) transhepatic; (c) "recurrent" cystic artery.


CONCLUSIONS
Our classification is simple and easy to memorize and will considerably facilitate safe laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Chirurgische Abteilung, Allgemeines Krankenhaus Zabok, Kroatien.
M
M
Balija
M
M
Huis
M
M
Stulhofer
V
V
Nikolic
D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D004210:Dissection; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D009626:Terminology as Topic