Gastroduodenal artery

Gastroduodenal artery

The celiac artery and its branches; the stomach has been raised and the peritoneum removed. (Gastroduodenal artery visible at center right.)

The Gastroduodenal artery is a small blood vessel in the abdomen that branches off the common hepatic artery. It supplies blood to the stomach and the first part of the duodenum.

Anatomy

The gastroduodenal artery arises from the common hepatic artery just before it bifurcates into the hepatic artery proper and the hepatic artery. It descends behind the first part of the duodenum and the head of the pancreas.

Branches

The gastroduodenal artery gives off two main branches:

• The right gastroepiploic artery, which runs to the right along the greater curvature of the stomach.
• The superior pancreaticoduodenal artery, which supplies the head of the pancreas and the descending part of the duodenum.

Clinical significance

The gastroduodenal artery may be involved in several medical conditions, including peptic ulcer disease and pancreatitis. It may also be ligated in certain surgical procedures, such as the Whipple procedure.

See also

• Celiac artery
• Common hepatic artery
• Right gastroepiploic artery
• Superior pancreaticoduodenal artery