An accessory right hepatic artery derived from the superior mesenteric artery for anterior right liver lobe supply: a case report

Purpose During the last decades, it has been established that there are numerous individual anatomical variations of the arterial blood supply in human liver. In the present study, we examined the liver vascularization of an intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patient. Methods For surgical planning, an enhanced CT scan was performed and a three-dimensional model of liver vascularization constructed. Results The patient was diagnosed as a Michel’s type VII hepatic artery variation. An accessory right hepatic artery arose from the superior mesenteric artery and had distributed into the right anterior liver to provide the blood supply of segments V and VIII, which was more medial than the territory of the right hepatic artery coming from the proper hepatic artery. At the same time, an accessory left hepatic artery originated from the left gastric artery. Conclusion We present a case in which an accessory right hepatic artery provided a territory more medial than a right hepatic artery coming from the proper right artery.