title: A case of celiacomesenteric trunk in a Tanzanian man.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Variation in the branching patterns of the three major arteries that supply the digestive system may occur due to different embryological mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present case report describes the celiac artery and the superior mesenteric artery originating from the abdominal aorta through a common trunk. The celiac artery in turn gave rise to the splenic artery and a common trunk for common hepatic and left gastric artery. The superior and inferior mesenteric arteries had normal branching patterns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Awareness of these variations on the part of the surgical team before surgery can help avoid iatrogenic arterial injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Catholic University of Health and allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania. manyama73@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mange
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manyama
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lukanima
authors.forename: Ainoli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gesase
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002102:Cadaver; D002445:Celiac Artery / Q000002:abnormalities*; D004210:Dissection; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000002:abnormalities*; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013636:Tanzania