title: Arterial diameter of the celiac trunk and its branches. Anatomical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the fact that anatomical variations of the celiac trunk are well explored in the literature, information on these vessels diameters is scanty. The aims of the present study were to describe the arterial diameters of the celiac trunk and its main branches, and to investigate if these diameters are altered in those cases presenting anatomical variations of these vessels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one formalin fixed adult male cadavers were appropriately dissected for the celiac trunk identification and arterial diameter measurements. Arteries measured included the celiac trunk and its main branches (splenic artery, left gastric artery and common hepatic artery), as the proper hepatic artery, right gastric artery, the left and right hepatic arteries and the gastroduodenal artery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the 21 cadavers, 6 presented anatomical variations of, at least, one of the above mentioned branches. The average arterial diameter comparisons between groups (normal and variable) clearly showed smaller diameters for variable vessels, but with no significant difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicates the possibility of a diameter reduction of the celiac trunk main branches in the presence of anatomical variations. This should be taken into account on the selection for the liver transplantation donors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anatomy, School of Medicine, Sao Paulo University (USP), Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirao Preto-SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luís Augusto da
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Fernando Braga Cassiano
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Valéria Paula Sassoli
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Fazan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002102:Cadaver; D002445:Celiac Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013270:Stomach / Q000098:blood supply*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods