Assessment of the incidence of accessory hepatic arteries: a literature review.

Modern medicine is developing towards application of endovascular techniques such as trans-arterial hepatic chemoembolisation. They displace classic open procedures. However, their correct planning and performance depend on the knowledge pre-operative detection of hepatic arterial anatomical variations. The main abnormality that may generate complications during radiological and surgical procedures is occurrence of an accessory hepatic artery. In the present study we propose our own classification of the variability observed in the vessels based on cases reported in the literature. It analyses more types of variations as compared to previous trials. A great advantage of this study is also a description of different pathological and frequently life-threatening conditions associated with hepatic arteries. This study is of value to medical practitioners, e.g. surgeons.