Anatomical Variants of Celiac Trunk in Relation to Its Branching: A Preliminary Sub-Saharan Study

Background: Surgical treatment of upper mesocolic organs is improved by preoperative diagnosis of anatomical variants of celiac trunk. According to the literature, these anatomical variants are little known in sub-Saharan Africa. Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of anatomical variants of celiac trunk in relation to its branching. Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional study of descriptive type. It retrospectively evaluated 160 abdominal contrast enhanced CT-scan, from patients attending Yalgado OUEDRAOGO teaching hospital, from 1 January 2015 to 30 September 2016. Patients with a history of heavy abdominal surgery were excluded. Images obtained by 64-row CT-scan were analyzed for anatomical variants of the celiac trunk. Results: One hundred and twenty-eight patients (80%) had a classic anatomical configuration of celiac trunk, while thirty-two (20%) had at least one anatomical variant. Two anatomical variants were found in fifteen patients (9.4%) while five other patients (3.1%) had more than two variants. The most frequent anatomical variant was the hepato-splenic bifurcation, found in fourteen patients (8, 8%). It was followed by common celiac and mesenteric trunk, and then collateral arteries, in particular left hepatic artery and right lower diaphragmatic artery, each with three patients (1.9%). Conclusion: Anatomical variants related to celiac trunk branching, are as frequent in our study as in the literature. However, the two most common anatomical variants were hepato-splenic bifurcation and common celiac and mesenteric trunk.