A Case of the Inferior Mesenteric Artery Arising from the Superior Mesenteric Artery in a Korean Woman

• Published in: Journal of Korean medical science Vol. 26; no. 10; pp. 1382 - 1385
• Main Authors: Yoo, Seung Jin, Ku, Min Jung, Cho, Sa Sun, Yoon, Sang Pil
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences 01.10.2011; 대한의학회
• Subjects: Aged, 80 and over; Aorta, Abdominal - abnormalities; Case Report; Female; Humans; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior - abnormalities; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior - anatomy & histology; Mesenteric Artery, Superior - abnormalities; Mesenteric Artery, Superior - anatomy & histology; Republic of Korea; 의학일반; Republic of Korea; Longitudinal Anastomosis Vessel; Variation; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior
• ISSN: 1011-8934; 1598-6357; 1598-6357
• DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2011.26.10.1382

Anatomical variations of the inferior mesenteric artery are extremely uncommon, since the inferior mesenteric artery is regularly diverged at the level of the third lumbar vertebra. We found a rare case in which the inferior mesenteric artery arose from the superior mesenteric artery. The findings were made during a routine dissection of the cadaver of an 82-yr-old Korean woman. This is the tenth report on this anomaly, the second female and the first Korean. The superior mesenteric artery normally arising from abdominal aorta sent the inferior mesenteric artery as the second branch. The longitudinal anastomosis vessels between the superior mesenteric artery and inferior mesenteric artery survived to form the common mesenteric artery. This anatomical variation concerning the common mesenteric artery is of clinical importance, performing procedures containing the superior mesenteric artery.