LAUSR

BACKGROUND Celiac trunk is the first major visceral branch of the abdominal aorta. The aim of this work was to present the celiac trunk division pattern and its anatomical variants in a sample of Polish population. MATERIALS AND METHODS Celiac trunk dissection was performed in 50 adult cadavers in the Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College. Cadavers of Polish subjects were included. Cadavers with previous upper abdominal surgery, abdominal trauma, disease process that distorted arterial anatomy or signs of putrefaction were excluded. Celiac trunk variations, accessory vessels, and vertebral level of origin were described. Celiac trunk patterns were reported according to the Adachi classification. This study was reviewed and approved by the local Ethics Committee. RESULTS Celiac trunk consisting of the left gastric, common hepatic and splenic artery (type 1 according to the Adachi classification) was found in 82% of cadavers. The true tripod was found in 20% and the false one in 80%. Additional vessels were also found: greater pancreatic from the splenic artery and left inferior phrenic from the left gastric artery, which accounted for 2% sections. Type 2 according to the Adachi classification (i.e. the hepatosplenic trunk) were found in 16% of the sections. Other types of celiac trunk were not observed. The level of origin was found to be at the inter-vertebral disc between T12 and L1 in all of the cases. CONCLUSIONS Based on the analysis of the sectional material of the Department of Anatomy, it was found that the typical visceral segmental division is approximate to that observed by Adachi in its classification, whereas the second type of celiac trunk was twice as frequent and no other, less frequent were found. variety.