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Anatomy Atlases: Illustrated Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation: Opus II: Cardiovascular System: Double Inferior Mesenteric Artery.

Illustrated Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation: Opus II: Cardiovascular System

Double Inferior Mesenteric Artery.

Ronald A. Bergman, PhD
Adel K. Afifi, MD, MS
Ryosuke Miyauchi, MD

Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed


Image of double inferior mesenteric artery

"In place of a single inferior mesenteric trunk, two arteries originated from the aorta 2.6 cm apart, the inferior one located 3 cm superior to the bifurcation of the aorta. The superior artery was directed superiorly and gave origin to two branches: one to the superior portion of the descending colon and another which supplied the entirety of the transverse colon. The inferior artery also gave rise to two branches: one to the inferior portion of the descending colon and the other to the sigmoid colon and rectum. The superior mesenteric artery gave rise to one major trunk to the colon, which divided into the ileocolic and right colic branches only. The marginal artery of the colon was well developed and patent throughout its length.

Search of the literature, to date, has revealed no description of this variation. Two references to a variation in which the inferior mesenteric gave rise to a branch corresponding to the middle colic artery have been found. There is a paucity of literature regarding variations of the inferior mesenteric artery. Consequently it is uncertain whether this is due to a lack of observation, small amount of variation or both."

Authors' note: In their literature review, the authors of this report noted that the inferior mesenteric artery has been reported absent by Fleishmann in 1815 (cited by Henle) and by Adachi in 1930. The absence of the left colic branch has been reported has been reported by Dubreuil in 1847 and Sonneland, et al. in 1958. Two additional references are given: Okinezyc, J. Anatomie chirurgicale des colons, in Hartmann, H. (1907) Travaux de chirurgie anatomico-clinique,3 serie, Chirurgie de l'intestine. G. Steinheil, Paris. and Andrejew, J.D. (1931) Ueber den Recessus arcus Riolani, den Recessus A. Colicae sinistrae und die Beziechungen der Bauchfelltaschen des Mesogastrium zu den Blutgefässen. Anat. Anz.71:135-155. Petsche, -. (1736) reported the inferior mesenteric arising from the left common iliac artery.

redrawn from Benton and Cotter, 1963.

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