Left gastric artery

Left gastric artery
The left gastric artery and other branches of the celiac artery (stomach in situ). Left gastric artery identified near lesser curvature.
Left gastric artery is at #2 -- the upper of the two arrows.
Details
Source	celiac artery
Identifiers
Latin	arteria gastrica sinistra
TA98	A12.2.12.013
TA2	4212
FMA	14768
Anatomical terminology

In human anatomy, the left gastric artery arises from the celiac artery and runs along the superior portion of the lesser curvature of the stomach. Branches also supply the lower esophagus. The left gastric artery anastomoses with the right gastric artery, which runs right to left.

Pathology

In terms of disease, the left gastric artery may be involved in peptic ulcer disease: if an ulcer erodes through the stomach mucosa into a branch of the artery, this can cause massive blood loss into the stomach, which may result in such symptoms as hematemesis or melaena.

In cases of portal hypertension, anastamoses with the esophageal branches of this artery shunt blood from portal circulation to systemic circulation. This can lead to a potentially life-threatening condition known as esophageal varices.

Additional images

Blood supply to the stomach: left and right gastric artery, left and right gastro-omental artery and short gastric artery.
The celiac artery and its branches; the stomach has been raised and the peritoneum removed.	Diagram to show the lines along which the peritoneum leaves the wall of the abdomen to invest the viscera.	Arteries and veins around the pancreas and spleen.

External links

• Anatomy photo:38:01-0103 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Stomach, Spleen and Liver: The Right and Left Gastric Artery"
• Cross section image: pembody/body8a—Plastination Laboratory at the Medical University of Vienna
• celiactrunk at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)
• Branching at uhrad.com