Variant anatomy of the sigmoid branches of the inferior mesenteric artery

Abstract

Currently, the growing interest in the structure of the vascular stream of the colon is due to the rapid development of abdominal and colorectal surgery.The aim of research was to study the variant anatomy of the sigmoid branches of the inferior mesenteric artery in men and women.Material and methods. The study included findings of multi-slice spiral computed tomography; a total of 2300 computed tomograms of adults aged 25 to 75 years (913 men and 1387 women) were investigated. Variants of the architectonics of the inferior mesenteric artery were differentiated by the presence and nature of the origin of its sigmoid branches, for which standard axial images and a series of post-processing images were used.Results. There have been identified sequential, stem and mixed types of branching of the inferior mesenteric artery. In the sequential type, the left colic and all sigmoid arteries separate from the inferior mesenteric artery; with a stem, two or more branches depart from the inferior mesenteric artery by a common vessel; in the mixed type, two left colic arteries sequentially depart from the inferior mesenteric artery. It has been proven that in both sexes the predominant type of branching of the inferior mesenteric artery is the stem: in men it is noted in 62% of cases, in women – in 63%, the mixed type of branching of the inferior mesenteric artery is the rarest, noted only in 2.4% of cases.Conclusion. The obtained information is of practical significance in abdominal, vascular, X-ray endovascular surgery, transplantology, coloproctology, and radiation diagnostics.