Common hepatic artery

Last revised by Daniel J Bell on 9 Sep 2024

The common hepatic artery (CHA) is one of the three branches of the celiac artery.

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The common hepatic artery is intermediate in size, commonly arising as a terminal branch of the celiac artery, which courses to the right.

It courses posterior to the parietal peritoneum of the lesser sac, first passing anteriorly to the pancreas, then coursing inferiorly towards the first part of the duodenum. It gives off the right gastric artery, which runs superiorly along the lower half of the lesser curvature of the stomach to anastomose with the left gastric artery. The common hepatic artery then passes slightly superiorly, where it runs anterior to the portal vein and medial to the common bile duct after entering the free edge of the lesser omentum (or hepatoduodenal ligament). As it courses superiorly towards the porta hepatis, it gives off the gastroduodenal artery inferiorly, then terminates as the proper hepatic artery.

The hepatic group of lymph nodes is found in the hepatogastric ligament, next to the hepatoduodenal ligament. The lymph nodes drain the liver, gallbladder, bile duct, stomach, duodenum, and pancreas 3.

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Variation in hepatic arterial anatomy is seen in 40-45% of people. Classic branching of the common hepatic artery from the celiac artery and the proper hepatic artery into the right and left hepatic arteries to supply the entire liver is only 55-60%.

A single or double cystic artery may arise from the proper hepatic artery.

For further details, see variant hepatic arterial anatomy.

The pulsatility index of the hepatic artery is between 0.55 to 0.70 4.

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