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Abstract

For the study of the celiac artery and its branches, ten adult nutrias (Myocastor coypus), males and females, were dissected, and the following results were obtained: a) the celiac artery arises separately (70%) from the ventral surface of the abdominal aorta, close to the aortic hiatus, or as a common trunk with the cranial mesenteric artery (30%); b) the primary divisions of the celiac artery, the lienal, left gastric and hepatic arteries, appear for trifurcation (60%) or bifurcation (40%); in this case, the lienal artery is separate from a common trunk formed by the other two; c) the lienal artery emits from one to six pancreatic branches; the left gastroepiploic artery, from three to six lienal brances, is distributed by the larger omentum (30%) soon afterwards or, following the great curvature of the stomach, it can anastomose with the right gastroepiploic artery; d) the right gastric artery sends cardical (100%) and esophagical (30%); e) the hepatic artery can emit up to two pancreatic branches; it emits the right gastroepiploic and pancreaticoduodenal cranial arteries, and, when reaching the liver, it emits the right gastric artery; soon afterwards it divides into two to four cystic branches, penetrating the liver through three to five hepatic brances.