A Study of Superior Mesenteric Artery in Cadavers in a Medical College of Coastal Andhra Pradesh

There are various surgical problems in the surgical approach of the gut in infancy, childhood & adult. The study of blood supply to the intestine particularly the superior mesenteric artery is important. So the knowledge of occurrence of variations of the origin, course, relations, distribution, & branching of superior mesenteric artery is essential apart from normal distribution in order to prevent complications during surgery.

1. To study the Human Superior Mesenteric artery & variations in its branches in detail. 2. To compare the diameters of abdominal aorta & superior mesenteric artery at the origin.

Around 50 adult specimens were obtained from the Department of Anatomy, 25 dead fetuses & 25 post mortem specimens were obtained from the department of Forensic medicine, Rangaraya Medical College, Kakinada. These specimens were dissected in order to expose the superior mesenteric artery & studied in detail.

No abnormal origin of the superior mesenteric artery in the given specimen is observed. However some variations were seen in the branching paern of the same.

Different type of variations in the branching paern of the superior mesenteric artery is common & the knowledge of which is important for the General & Paediatric surgeons while performing abdominal, particularly the gut surgery in order to reduce the complications during & after surgery.