Presentation
Weight loss. Altered bowel habit. Upper abdominal pain, tenderness, lumpiness. Right inguinal hernia. Underwent appendectomy in 1995.
Patient Data
Median arcuate ligament thickened (6.2 mm) on right side, displacing celiac trunk towards left + right renal artery forward.
Left gastric artery arises directly from abdominal aorta abutting right surface of celiac trunk.
Root of left gastric artery is compressed (diameter 1 mm) by thickened median arcuate ligament. Rest of the artery demonstrates normal diameter (average 3 mm).
Case Discussion
Despite compression of the left gastric artery by the thickened median arcuate ligament, it cannot still be claimed with confidence that this patient's upper abdominal pain is caused by this compression.
Extra-celiac origin of the left gastric artery is rare.
Origin of various branches from the aorta:
- left gastric artery: 2-3%
- splenic artery: <1%
- common hepatic artery: 2%