title: Morphometric and quantitative evaluation of the gastroepiploic artery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The gastroepiploic artery (GEA) has been described in various ways by anatomical texts and surgical manuals. Currently, there are no studies that have investigated the thickness and length of GEA using gross anatomical methods. In the present study, we measured the length, circumference, area, and major axis of GEA, and quantitatively evaluated the differences between right and left GEA (RGEA and LGEA), using gross anatomical and morphometric methods for the first time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen cadavers were selected. The median age of the cadavers was 82 years. We observed and evaluated GEA with naked eyes, as well as under a stereoscopic microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RGEA was significantly longer than LGEA (p < 0.0001). The mean length of RGEA and LGEA were 26.51 ± 5.15 cm and 14.05 ± 3.12 cm, respectively. The mean area of RGEA, LGEA, and the anastomotic point were 3.31 ± 1.71 mm(2), 1.33 ± 1.01 mm(2), and 0.51 ± 0.28 mm(2) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RGEA was significantly longer and thicker than LGEA. The results also showed that in almost all of the cases RGEA and LGEA anastomosed with each other and grew thinner as they approached the middle of the greater curvature of the stomach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Showa University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Kodai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomioka
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ezure
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moriyama
authors.forename: Ryoichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Naruhito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Otsuka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D024405:Gastroepiploic Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013270:Stomach / Q000098:blood supply