1999 Volume 32 Issue 5 Pages 1231-1234
We report three cases with diagnoses of hepatic falciform arteries (HFA). Based on 156 celiac angi-ograms, the incidence of the HFA was 1.9%. If possible, the HFA should be occuluded before intraarterial in-fusion therapy. Case 1. Angiogram performed because of hepatic metastasis from breast cancer demonstrated the HFA arising from the left hepatic artery. CT arteriography further revealed that the HFA ran just under the rectus abdominis muscle toward the umbilicus after originating from the ramus of the medial and the lateroanterior branches. Case 2. Angiogram performed because of hepatic metastasis from small intestinal leiomyosarcoma showed the HFA following a caudal course from the middle hepatic artery. Selective angi-ogram visualized a communication to the deep epigastric artery. The HFA was occuluded before intraarterial chemotherapy infusion. Case 3. Angiogram performed because of gallbladder cancer revealed the HFA aris-ing from the middle hepatic artery. The falciform ligament and round ligament were removed. Histopathologi-cal examination revealed an artery, 1mm in diameter, with thick adventitia.
