DUPLICATED HEPATIC-ARTERY - RADIOLOGIC AND SURGICAL IMPLICATIONS

Preoperative angiography of the coeliac trunk and superior mesenteric artery is routinely performed before liver resections and transplantat ions. For this purpose, it is usual to inject each branch of the coeli ac trunk separately, Selective angiographic studies, however, may lead to-overlooking surgically essential anatomic variations of the hepati c blood supply, as demonstrated by the present report, A case of a dup licated hepatic artery is presented, its radiologic and surgical impli cations discussed, and the relevant literature reviewed. This uncommon and particularly evocative feature illustrates the clinical importanc e of a sound knowledge of anatomical variants.