A Study of Pattern of Blood Supply of Stomach in Cadavers in a Medical College of Andhra Pradesh

Background: The knowledge of normal location, awareness on usual and rare variations of major blood vessels and their branches supplying the stomach is of immense help to Surgeons and research workers for deciding the areas of resection of tissues by surgeons and to add additional information on existing and available material by researchers in conditions like Esophageal carcinoma, Ca head of pancreas, Ca of fundus of stomach, Cysts and tumors related to lesser and greater curvatures and head of pancreas etc.

Objectives: 1. To study the blood supply of stomach in detail&the different anatomical pattern of the blood supply. 2. To see any variations in the branching pattern.

Materials And Method: Around 100 cadavers were studied. The site of origin, course and area of stomach supplied by different arteries and their branches and their anastomoses with the neighbouring branches were studied in detail in 100 cadavers from the period of 2006-2009.

Results: Some variations are seen in left&right gastric artery, right gastroepiploic artery, short gastric arteries whereas maximum specimens showed the standard branching pattern of stomach.

Conclusions: Many variations are seen apart from the normal branching pattern. Though majority of specimens showed the normal branching pattern, the variations in the pattern of each branch&the main artery supply cannot be ignored.

The knowledge of normal location, awareness on usual and rare variations of major blood vessels and their branches supplying the stomach is of immense help to Surgeons and research workers for deciding the areas of resection of tissues in various situations&conditions.