Left gastric artery

Left gastric artery
The left gastric artery and other branches of the celiac artery (stomach in situ ). Left gastric artery identified near lesser curvature.
Left gastric artery is at #2 -- the upper of the two arrows.
Details
Source	Celiac artery
Identifiers
Latin	arteria gastrica sinistra
TA98	A12.2.12.013
TA2	4212
FMA	14768
Anatomical terminology [ edit on Wikidata]

In human anatomy, the left gastric artery arises from the celiac artery and runs along ^[1] the superior portion of^{[ citation needed ]} the lesser curvature of the stomach before anastomosing with the right gastric artery (which runs right to left^{[ citation needed ]}). It also issues esophageal branches ^[1] that supply lower esophagus and ascend through the esophageal hiatus to form anastomoses with the esophageal branches of thoracic part of aorta.^{[ citation needed ]}

Anatomy

Origin

The LGA usually arises from (the superior aspect of) the coeliac trunk - sometimes as a terminal branch of a trifurcation, and more rarely as a side branch of the splenic artery or of common hepatic artery. Sometimes it originates directly from aorta or from arteria phrenica inferior. ^[2]

Course

From the crus of diaphragm, the LGA arches obliquely anterior-ward and to the left to reach the left curvature of the stomach just inferior to the gastric cardia (thus erecting the gastropancreatic (peritoneal) fold). ^[2]

Fate

Upon reaching the cardia, the LGA splits into two terminal branches - a ventral one and a dorsal one - which anastomose with corresponding terminal branches of the right gastric artery, together providing arterial supply to the lesser curvature of the stomach. ^[2]

Branches

Besides its terminal ventral branch and dorsal branch, the LGA yields multiple side branches: the left lateral hepatic artery, posterior esophageal artery, anterior esophagocardiotuberous artery, branches to lymph nodes, and omental branches. ^[2]

Clinical significance

In terms of disease, the left gastric artery may be involved in peptic ulcer disease: if an ulcer erodes through the stomach mucosa into a branch of the artery, this can cause massive blood loss into the stomach, which may result in such symptoms as hematemesis or melaena.

Additional images

• 
  Blood supply to the stomach: left and right gastric artery, left and right gastro-omental artery and short gastric artery. ^[3]
• 
  The celiac artery and its branches; the stomach has been raised and the peritoneum removed.
• 
  Arteries and veins around the pancreas and spleen.

References

1. Lung, Kirsten; Lui, Forshing (2022), "Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Arteries", StatPearls, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, PMID   30247834 , retrieved 2023-01-14
2. "Artère gastrique gauche - Dictionnaire médical de l'Académie de Médecine". www.academie-medecine.fr. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
3. Essential Clinical Anatomy. K.L. Moore & A.M. Agur. Lippincott, 2 ed. 2002. Page 150

External links

• Anatomy photo:38:01-0103 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Stomach, Spleen and Liver: The Right and Left Gastric Artery"
• Cross section image: pembody/body8a —Plastination Laboratory at the Medical University of Vienna
• celiactrunk at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)
• Branching at uhrad.com