Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda (PB), India.
Department of Forensic Medicine, GGS Medical College, Faridkot, India.
Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2022;81(2):372-378. doi: 10.5603/FM.a2021.0031. Epub 2021 Mar 29.
The topographic location of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and its branching pattern are usually arbitrary in textbooks. This study, therefore, aims to provide topographic information of SMA with reference to the vertebral bodies, ventral branches of aorta and branching pattern of SMA.
The study was conducted on 35 embalmed adult human cadavers. We performed detailed dissection of the SMA to topographically locate its origin in respect to vertebral level and other ventral branches of the abdominal aorta. We have categorised the branching pattern of SMA into three different types depending upon the number of arterial pedicles, traced from proximal to distal to look into their anastomoses and formation marginal artery of Drummond.
Vertebral level of origin of SMA varied between the lower third of twelfth thoracic vertebra (T12) and lower third of first lumbar vertebra (L1), most commonly arose at the level of the lower third of L1 (77.14%). The average distances between the origin of SMA and coeliac trunk (CT), inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) and aortic bifurcation were 1.84 cm, 6.67 cm and 10.39 cm, respectively. Depending on the branching pattern, type A was found in 29 (82.85%) cases, type B in 5 (14.28%) and type C in 1 (2.85%). In 2 cases (both of type B), the marginal artery was incomplete.
The most common topography of origin of the SMA was opposite the lower third of L1. The coeliac-superior mesenteric relationship was most consistent than between any other two points on the abdominal aorta; 85% of the SMAs were concentrated within a space of 1.00 cm (0.60-1.50 cm) from the CT. Type A branching pattern was most commonly seen in our study population.
肠系膜上动脉（SMA）的地形位置及其分支模式在教科书中通常是任意的。因此，本研究旨在提供 SMA 的地形信息，参考椎体、主动脉腹侧分支和 SMA 的分支模式。
本研究在 35 具防腐成人尸体上进行。我们对 SMA 进行了详细的解剖，以确定其起源的椎体水平和其他腹主动脉的腹侧分支。我们根据动脉干的数量将 SMA 的分支模式分为三种不同类型，从近端到远端追踪，观察它们的吻合和形成 Drummond 缘动脉。
SMA 的起源椎体水平在第十二胸椎（T12）的下三分之一和第一腰椎（L1）的下三分之一之间变化，最常见的起源于 L1 的下三分之一（77.14%）。SMA 起源与腹腔干（CT）、肠系膜下动脉（IMA）和主动脉分叉之间的平均距离分别为 1.84cm、6.67cm 和 10.39cm。根据分支模式，A型发现 29 例（82.85%），B 型 5 例（14.28%），C 型 1 例（2.85%）。在 2 例（均为 B 型）中，缘动脉不完整。
SMA 最常见的起源位置是在 L1 的下三分之一处。腹腔干-肠系膜上动脉关系比腹主动脉上的任何其他两点都更一致；85%的 SMA 集中在 CT 距离 1.00cm（0.60-1.50cm）的范围内。A型分支模式在我们的研究人群中最为常见。
