Atypical branching of superior mesenteric artery

Biswa Bhusan Mohanty

Abstract

Routine dissection of a 50-year-old male cadaver revealed the unusual branching pattern of superior mesenteric artery showing the absence of right colic and inferior pancreatico-duodenal arteries, but inferior mesenteric artery was normal. The entire jejunum-ileum was supplied by superior mesenteric artery which arose typically from abdominal aorta. It gave off branches on the right side, i.e. the right colic artery, ileocolic artery. The main stem of superior mesenteric artery terminated by anastomosing with the ileal branch of the ileocolic artery. Out of all the branches, right colic artery is the most variable branch which varies in its origin and even sometimes may be absent. Though these variations do not show any impact on the normal blood supply of the midgut, they exhibit variation in the continuity of the marginal artery of Drummond. Hence, having an idea on anatomical variations of the artery helps the surgeon a lot.