ABSTRACT
Many authors suggest that abnormal branching pattern of axillary artery is very common. This compelled us to explore the axillary region of 20 formalin fixed cadavers of either sex to note the frequency of unusual branching of axillary artery over a period of five years. Axillary artery branched normally as described in various textbooks of Anatomy in thirty nine (97.5%) out of forty axillae examined. Only in one axilla (2.5%), it was observed that the second part of axillary artery branched unusually whereas on the other side it branched normally. Knowledge of such abnormal presentation of the axillary artery in the era of reconstructive surgeries is of great help to the interventionist so as to avoid any vascular catastrophe resulting in some kind of mishap. Awareness of such unusual branching pattern of axillary artery is also of great importance to vascular surgeons and radiologists dealing with this region. Embryological origin and the clinical relevance of the abnormality encountered in the branching pattern of the axillary artery in the present study have been discussed in the paper.
ABSTRACT
Coeliac Trunk (CT), the first ventral branch of the abdominal aorta is the major source of blood supply to the supracolic abdominal compartment. Usually, it branches into the splenic, common hepatic and left gastric arteries to supply this region. Anatomical variations of celiac trunk and its branching pattern frequently found during cadaveric dissection and diagnostic radiological imaging have been reported by numerous authors. Although the variations in coeliac trunk are usually asymptomatic, they may become important in patients undergoing diagnostic angiography for gastrointestinal bleeding or prior to an operative procedure. The knowledge of this results in more accurate treatment. In the past many years, investigators have classified the CT based on its branching pattern. However, these classifications have not been able to encompass all the types of variations that have been reported till date. Therefore, in this article we have tried to include most of the types of variations reported till date and put forward a new classification of CT that incorporates most of the variations reported so far. Besides this an attempt has been made to explain the embryological basis of these variations.