Distribution of pancreatic arteries in the human fetus.

Pancreatic arteries were studied in 20 Japanese fetuses (7-8 months). The results were as follows: 1) Pancreatic arteries were originated from the common hepatic artery, the gastroduodenal artery, the splenic artery, and from the superior mesenteric artery. 2) The posterior pancreaticoduodenal arcade was seen in all cases, while the anterior pancreatico-duodenal arcade was not recognized in one case. The inferior pancreatic artery, the great pancreatic artery and the caudal pancreatic artery were found in 17 cases (85%), 14 cases (70%), and in all cases, respectively. 3) The origins of the dorsal pancreatic artery varied. It arose from the splenic artery in 8 cases (40%), the common hepatic artery in 1 case (5%), the superior mesenteric or jejunal artery in 3 cases (15%), and from a bifurcation point of the splenic and common hepatic arteries in 2 cases (10%). In 3 cases (15%), the dorsal pancreatic artery was formed as a communicating branch between the splenic artery and the superior mesenteric artery. 4) The main arterial supply for the pancreatic body and tail was from the celiac artery in 8 cases (40%), and from both the celiac and the superior mesenteric arteries in the other 12 cases (60%).