Fetal topographical anatomy of the pancreatic head and duodenum with special reference to courses of the pancreaticoduodenal arteries.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to provide better understanding as to how the "double" vascular arcades, in contrast to other intestinal marginal vessels, develop along the right margin of the pancreatic head.


METHODS
In human fetuses between 8-30 weeks, we described the topographical anatomy of the vessels, bile duct, duodenum as well as the ventral and dorsal primordia of the pancreatic head with an aid of pancreatic polypeptide immunohisto-chemistry.


RESULTS
The contents of the hepatoduodenal ligament crossed the superior side of the pylorus. Moreover, the right hepatic artery originating from the superior mesenteric artery ran along the superior aspect of the pancreatic head. An arterial arcade, corresponding to the posterior pancreaticoduodenal arteries, encircled the superior part of the pancreatic head, whereas another arcade, corresponding to the anterior pancreaticoduodenal arteries, surrounded the inferior part. The dorsal promordium of the pancreas surrounded and/or mixed the ventral primordium at 13-16 weeks. Thus, both arterial arcades were likely to attach to the dorsal primordium.


CONCLUSIONS
The fetal anatomy of the pancreaticoduodenal vascular arcades as well as that of the hepatoduodenal ligament were quite different from adults in topographical relations. Thus, in the stage later than 30 weeks, further rotation of the duodenum along a horizontal axis seemed to be required to move the pylorus posterosuperiorly and to reflect the superior surface of the pancreatic head posteriorly. However, to change the topographical anatomy of the superior and inferior arterial arcades into the final position, re-arrangement of the pancreatic parenchyma might be necessary in the head.
Jin
Zhe Wu
ZW
Department of Surgery, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Chonbuk National Medical School, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju 561-712, Korea.
Yu
Hee Chul
HC
Cho
Baik Hwan
BH
Kim
Hyoung Tae
HT
Kimura
Wataru
W
Fujimiya
Mineko
M
Murakami
Gen
G
D001158:Arteries / Q000196:embryology*; D004386:Duodenum / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000196:embryology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000196:embryology*; D011247:Pregnancy