Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the anatomical variations of mesenteric arteries in patients with colon cancer.
Methods: From March to August 2012, 56 patients underwent 3D-CT angiography. We classified the variations of the right colic artery, middle colic artery and inferior mesenteric artery.
Results: The right colic artery branched from the superior mesenteric artery directly in 25% (Type A), from the middle colic artery in 37.5% (Type B), from the ileocolic artery in 26.8% (Type C), and was absent in 10.7% (Type D). In 80.4% the right and the left branch of the middle colic artery branched from the same point of the abdominal aorta, and branched from different points in 12.5%. The accessory middle colic artery was present in 33.9% in total. Three types of branching of the left colic artery (LCA), sigmoid artery (SA) and superior rectal artery (SRA) were seen. SA branched from SRA in 51.8%, the three arteries branched from the same point in 16.1%, and SA branched from LCA in 32.1%.
Conclusion: 3D-CTA is useful for assessing the anatomy of vascular branching for colorectal surgery.
