Absence of inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery compensated by dorsal pancreatic artery: a case report.

Consideration of new aspects of vascular anatomy of the pancreaticoduodenal region is required for further improvement of surgical procedures. Awareness of variations in arteries supplying the duodenum and pancreas can help in minimizing the blood loss during surgery. We report the absence of inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery, which was compensated by a large dorsal pancreatic artery arising from proximal part of the splenic artery. This artery replaced inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery and formed a large loop of anastomosis with the gastroduodenal artery.