A study of thirty right hepatic arteries.

Thirty right hepatic arteries discovered among 137 celiomesenteric angiographies show the high frequency (22%) of this variation. Radiologic anatomy of the right hepatic artery was discussed; with the exception of one atheromatous stenosis, the pathologic findings of the right hepatic artery and its terminal branches illustrate the development of a regional disease (12 cases or 40%). This assumed pathology is divided half in pancreatic causes (neoplasm, pancreatitis, pseudocysts) and half in hepatobiliary causes (metastatic cancer of the liver, cancer of the hilus, cirrhosis, hydatid cyst, alveolar echinococcosis or angioma). Five times the surgical technic was modified because of the right hepatic artery. Since these observations were made, we are studying the consequences of this hepatic artery over surgical technics and the approach to the various segments of this artery.