Rare Origin of Accessory Left Gastric Artery from Splenic Artery and Its Clinical Significance: A Case Report

During routine dissection of abdomen an accessory leftgastric artery was found arising from the splenic arteryin one out of 30 adult formalin fixed cadavers in theDepartment of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical CollegeManipal. The origin of left gastric artery was normal.The accessory artery was running upwards behind usualleft gastric artery and run along lesser curvature of thestomach and also gave oesophageal branch supplyingthe lower part of esophagus. Before attempting anysurgical procedure on stomach or lower end ofoesophagus, preoperative evaluation of the arterialpattern and variations is desirable for correct surgicalapproach and to reduce postoperative complications.However, accessory left gastric origin from splenicartery becomes important to be noted when the patientundergoes angiography for diagnostic bleeding orduring trans catheter therapy. Knowledge about thesevariations is also important to be noted prior to surgeryin order to prevent postoperative complications whichwould be fatal.

Variant inferior root of ansa cervicalis / Variación de la raíz inferior del asa cervical

Ansa cervicalis is a loop of nerves found in the anterior wall of the carotid sheath in the carotid triangle of neck innervating infrahyoid muscles. Its superior root has fibres from the first cervical nerve that leaves the hypoglossal nerve and joins the inferior root formed by the branches from the second and third cervical nerves. The two roots join to form ansa cervicalis. The ansa cervicalis nerve formation is relatively complex, as its course and location along the great vessels of the neck vary. In the present case on the left side of an adult male cadaver the inferior root was absent and the contributions from C2 and C3 were joining independently with the superior root of ansa to form ansa cervicalis. However no such variation was found in the ansa cervicalis formation on the right side.

El asa cervical es un loop de nervios que se encuentra en la pared anterior de la vaina carotídea, en el triángulo carotídeo del cuello, que inerva los músculos infrahioideos. Su raíz superior tiene fibras del primer nervio cervical que sale del nervio hipogloso y se une a la raíz inferior formada por las ramas de los nervios cervicales segundo y tercero. Las dos raíces se unen para formar el asa cervical. La formación del asa cervical del nervio es relativamente compleja, ya que su curso y ubicación varía a lo largo de los grandes vasos del cuello. En el lado izquierdo del cuello de un cadáver adulto de sexo masculino, la raíz inferior del asa cervical estaba ausente y las contribuciones de los ramos de C2 y C3 se unieron, de forma independiente, con la raíz superior del asa y así formar el loop.