The third time is the charm—Anastomosis between the celiac trunk and the left colic artery

An atypical case of abdominal vasculature, found in a 58‐year‐old woman is presented. The multidetector computed tomography angiogram revealed a large tortuous anastomotic vessel between the stem of the celiac trunk and the left colic artery, supplying branches for the left colon and pancreatic body and tail. We propose a simple embryological explanation for the development of this aberrant artery—the longitudinal ventral anastomosis, which connects the precursors of principal visceral arteries in a loop‐like manner, loses its direct communication with the superior mesenteric artery but maintains its continuity above and below this level. This variation could pose a problem for radiological interpretation and affect surgical approaches to the aorta, left colon, and the pancreas. Clin. Anat. 24:258–261, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.