What artery is the splenic artery a branch of?

The Splenic Artery is a Branch of the Celiac Artery

The splenic artery is a branch of the celiac artery (Option A). 1, 2

Anatomical Origin and Relationships

• The splenic artery is the largest branch of the celiac trunk (another name for the celiac artery) and is known for its anatomical variability in course and branching pattern 2
• The celiac trunk is the first unpaired midline branch of the abdominal aorta that typically gives rise to three classic branches: the left gastric artery, the common hepatic artery, and the splenic artery 3
• While the splenic artery originates from the celiac trunk in the majority of cases (90.6%), anatomical variations do exist where it may rarely originate directly from the abdominal aorta (8.1%) or other sites (1.3%) 4

Clinical Significance of the Splenic Artery

• The splenic artery is clinically significant as it is the most common site for visceral artery aneurysms, accounting for approximately 60% of all visceral aneurysms 1
• Knowledge of splenic artery anatomy is crucial during surgical procedures involving the upper abdomen, particularly in:
  • Gastric cancer surgery where lymph node dissection along vascular structures is required 5
  • Management of splenic artery aneurysms, which have mortality rates of 10-25% when ruptured in non-pregnant patients and up to 70% maternal mortality when ruptured during pregnancy 1
  • Pancreatic surgery, as the artery commonly has a suprapancreatic course (74.1%) but may also have enteropancreatic (18.5%), intrapancreatic (4.6%), or retropancreatic (2.8%) courses 4

Common Variations in Splenic Artery Anatomy

• The splenic artery typically follows a tortuous course to the spleen 2
• Terminal branching patterns vary, with two terminal branches being most common (63.1%), followed by four (18.8%), six (9.7%), and more than six branches (5.6%) 4
• Superior polar splenic arteries may be present, which are important to recognize during surgical procedures to avoid rupture 2

Relationship to Other Options in the Question

• The left gastroepiploic artery (Option B) is not the parent vessel of the splenic artery; rather, it is related to the splenic hilar vessels 5
• The left gastric artery (Option C) is a separate branch of the celiac trunk, not the parent vessel of the splenic artery 3
• The hepatic artery (Option D) is another branch of the celiac trunk, alongside the splenic artery 3
• While rare variations exist where the splenic artery may arise directly from the aorta (Option E), this occurs in only about 8.1% of cases and is not the typical anatomical arrangement 4