Right hepatic artery: primum discere anatomia-first, learn anatomy

Abstract

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the most commonly performed surgical procedure and considered as the gold standard treatment of gallstone disease. However, the overall rate of complications like injury to bile duct and hepatic artery in LC remains higher than that seen in open cholecystectomy. Hence complete knowledge of the anatomy and anatomical relationship of biliary tree and liver plays a key role in the laparoscopic hepatobiliary surgeries. Being an end artery, blood supply to the right lobe of the liver solely depends on the right hepatic artery. Identification of variations in hepatic arterial anatomy is important in the planning and performing of hepatobiliary surgeries varying from simple LC to pancreaticoduodenectomy. In the current study, the authors referenced laparoscopic dissection results to examine another rare case showing "anterior" relationship of aberrant right hepatic artery (ARHA) with the common hepatic duct having clinically important implications in LC. The objective of this study is to highlight the importance of learning anatomy as the first step for a successful surgery and with the help of this case contribute to existing knowledge of the right hepatic artery to improve surgical safety.