title: Can the gastrocolic trunk of Henle serve as an anatomical landmark in laparoscopic right colectomy? A postmortem anatomical study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of the gastrocolic trunk of Henle (GTH) as a landmark has been advocated in laparoscopic right colectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the GTH as a possible landmark in laparoscopic right colectomy in the context of the adjacent arteries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Corrosion casting (30 specimens) and anatomic dissection were performed on formol-fixed cadavers (12 specimens).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The GTH was found in 34 specimens (81.0%). Among its closely related neighboring arterial vessels, the right colic artery was the most frequent (19 cases [55.9%]). It passed by the GTH at a mean distance of 3.6 mm. The course of the arteries in relation to the GTH was caudal and parallel in most cases (29 [85.3%]), but there was also a significant portion of crossing schemes (11.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the GTH is a constant and conspicuous anatomic entity, it is not easily accessible, because of its tight relations to the right colon arteries. Instead, the authors advocate the use the superior right colic vein as an anatomic landmark leading to the GTH during laparoscopic right colectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Vestfold Hospital, Tonsberg, Norway. dejign@siv.no
authors.forename: Dejan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ignjatovic
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spasojevic
authors.forename: Bojan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stimec
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods*; D003106:Colon / Q000098:blood supply*; D016319:Corrosion Casting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008642:Mesenteric Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008875:Middle Aged