The coeliac trunk is the artery of the foregut, supplying the stomach, liver, spleen, pancreas, and duodenum through its three immediate branches. It is notable for its extremely short course and immediate trifurcation, making it a surgical landmark in upper abdominal operations. Median arcuate ligament syndrome (coeliac artery compression syndrome) from compression by the median arcuate ligament of the diaphragm is an increasingly recognised cause of postprandial pain in young patients.
| Origin | Anterior abdominal aorta at T12, immediately below the aortic hiatus |
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The coeliac axis is accessed during major upper abdominal surgery — the coeliac trunk and its branches must be identified during radical gastrectomy, distal pancreatectomy, and liver transplantation. Coeliac trunk aneurysms are the most common visceral artery aneurysm after splenic artery aneurysms and require treatment when over 2 cm given their risk of rupture. CT angiography defines the normal coeliac anatomy before pancreatic surgery, as replaced right hepatic arteries (from the SMA) are present in 15 to 20 percent of patients.
Coeliac trunk compression by the diaphragmatic ligament producing postprandial pain and weight loss in young adults, treated by surgical or laparoscopic ligament division.
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