Right hepatic artery
The common hepatic artery is a branch of the aorta off the celiac stem of the abdomen. There are five branches of the hepatic artery: the right gastric, left gastric, gastroduodenal, left hepatic, middle hepatic, and the right hepatic. This group of arteries supplies blood to the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, stomach, and duodenal section in the small intestine. The right hepatic artery has a forked appearance and supplies blood to the right section of the liver. Typically the left and right hepatic arteries originate in a fork off the common hepatic artery and are positioned parallel to the portal vein and bile duct. It occasionally stems from the superior mesenteric artery, which is referred to as a replaced right hepatic artery. The replaced artery is positioned through or behind the pancreatic head near the main portal vein. In rare cases, it originates from the gastroduodenal artery. Determining the position of the right hepatic artery is crucial when laparoscopic cholecystectomy is performed.
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In Depth: Right hepatic artery