Left colic artery

Left colic artery
The inferior mesenteric artery and its branches. (Left colic visible at center right.)
Sigmoid colon and rectum, showing distribution of branches of inferior mesenteric artery and their anastomoses. (Left colic visible at center left.)
Details
SourceInferior mesenteric
VeinLeft colic vein
SuppliesDescending colon
Identifiers
Latinarteria colica sinistra
TA98A12.2.12.071
TA24292
FMA14826
Anatomical terminology

The left colic artery is a branch of the inferior mesenteric artery distributed to the descending colon, and left part of the transverse colon. It ends by dividing into an ascending branch and a descending branch; the terminal branches of the two branches go on to form anastomoses with the middle colic artery, and a sigmoid artery (respectively).: 1196 

Structure

The left colic artery usually represents the dominant arterial supply to the left colic flexure.: 1196 

Course

The left colic artery passes to the left posterior to the peritoneum. After a short but variable course, it divides into an ascending branch and a descending branch.

Branches and anastomoses

Ascending branch

The ascending branch passes superior-ward. It passes anterior to the (ipsilateral) psoas major muscle, gonadal vessels, ureter, and kidney; it passes posterior to the inferior mesenteric vein. Its terminal branches form anastomoses with those of the middle colic artery; it also forms anastomoses with the descending branch (of the left colic artery).: 1196 

Descending branch

The descending branch passes inferolaterally.: 1196  It forms anastomoses with the superior-most sigmoid artery as well as the ascending branch (of the left colic artery), thereby participating in the formation of the marginal artery of the colon.: 1196 

Variation

The left colic artery may have a common origin with a sigmoid artery, or may arise by branching of from a sigmoid artery. Occasionally, the left colic artery may arise from either the superior mesenteric artery, the middle colic artery, or the proximal-most jejunal artery; rarely, an accessory left colic artery may arise from the aforementioned arteries. An accessory left colic artery may also arise from the left colic artery itself.: 1196 

Clinical significance

The left colic artery may be ligated during abdominal surgery to remove colorectal cancer. This may have poorer outcomes than preserving the artery.

Additional images

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gray, Henry (1918). Gray's Anatomy (20th ed.). p. 610.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gray's anatomy : the anatomical basis of clinical practice. Susan Standring (Forty-second ed.). [New York]. 2021. ISBN 978-0-7020-7707-4. OCLC 1201341621.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. 1 2 Fan, Yu-Chen; Ning, Fei-Long; Zhang, Chun-Dong; Dai, Dong-Qiu (April 2018). "Preservation versus non-preservation of left colic artery in sigmoid and rectal cancer surgery: A meta-analysis". International Journal of Surgery (London, England). 52: 269–277. doi:10.1016/j.ijsu.2018.02.054. ISSN 1743-9159. PMID 29501795.