Study of diameter, length, tortuosity of splenic artery and its branches with its clinical implications

Abstract

Background: Systematic knowledge of the splenic arterial vasculature would provide greater safeguards in the design of the surgical techniques but there are surprisingly few studies on the subject. For this reason, we studied morphological anatomy of splenic artery. Aims: To study morphological anatomy of splenic artery and clinical implications. The present study aims to report length, tortuosity, diameter of splenic artery and its branches. Material and Method: The measurements were taken on 50 donated embalmed cadavers irrespective of the sex in the Department of Anatomy, MGM Medical College, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. The findings were noted after dissection. The study was carried out between May 2009 to December 2012. Results: The mean length of splenic artery with tortuosity was 9.52 cm. The mean length of splenic artery without tortuosity was 12.76 cm. The splenic artery shows numerous tortuosities. The tortuosity decreases as the diameter increases. We found that superior polar branch was slender and thin can be easily damaged. To avoid this operation should start from inferior pole. The mean diameter of splenic artery was 5.144 mm that of superior ramus was 4.340 mm and inferior ramus was 3.760 mm. So we found weak inferior ramus supplying the lower pole of spleen. Due to which inferior pole was also supplied by additional branches. Conclusion: Knowledge of splenic artery has the clinical significance in planning and conducting procedures such as partial or total splenectomy, splenic aneurysm, splenic embolisation, splenography, surgical and radiological procedures of upper abdominal region to avoid any complications. Key words: splenic artery, length, diameter, tortuosity