Aberrant Hepatic Artery Arising from the Left Gastric Artery: A Cadaveric Case Report

Anatomical variations of the hepatic artery are of considerable clinical importance due to their implications in hepatobiliary surgery, liver transplantation, and interventional radiology. Rare arterial variations, if unrecognized, may significantly increase the risk of iatrogenic vascular injury and procedure-related complications. This study aims to describe a rare hepatic arterial variation identified during cadaveric dissection and highlight its clinical and surgical relevance. A routine cadaveric dissection was carried out at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya. During abdominal dissection of a 65-year-old male cadaver, the branching pattern of the celiac trunk and hepatic arterial system was carefully examined, documented, and analysed. The celiac trunk trifurcated into the left gastric artery, splenic artery, and gastroduodenal artery, with a complete absence of the common hepatic artery. The hepatic artery originates from the left gastric artery and subsequently divides into the right and left hepatic arteries. The cystic artery arose from the right hepatic artery. This arterial configuration represents a rare variation differing from the classical hepatic arterial anatomy. Knowledge of rare hepatic arterial variations is essential for surgeons and interventional radiologists to minimize the risk of vascular injury during hepatobiliary, pancreatic, and transplant procedures. Preoperative awareness and careful intraoperative assessment of such variations can significantly reduce iatrogenic complications.