Left hepatic artery

The left hepatic artery (LHA) is a branch of the proper hepatic artery (or, in anatomic variants, the left gastric artery) that supplies blood to the left lobe of the liver. It arises after the common hepatic artery gives off the gastroduodenal artery to become the proper hepatic artery, which then bifurcates into the left and right hepatic arteries near the hepatic hilum.

Origin: Typically arises as a terminal branch of the proper hepatic artery at or near the porta hepatis. In the standard (most common) anatomy, the celiac trunk gives rise to the common hepatic artery, which becomes the proper hepatic artery after the takeoff of the gastroduodenal artery, and then divides into the left and right hepatic arteries.

Course: The LHA courses within the hepatoduodenal ligament toward the left side of the liver hilum, where it enters the hepatic parenchyma to supply segments II, III, and IV (the left lobe of the liver, including the caudate lobe in some classifications).

Branches: Before entering the liver parenchyma, the LHA commonly gives off :

• Left artery of caudate lobe

• Medial segmental artery of liver

• Lateral segmental artery of liver

• Intermediate branch of left hepatic artery

Anatomic variants: Variant anatomy of the LHA is clinically significant and relatively common (occurring in approximately 25-30% of individuals). The most frequent variant is a replaced or accessory left hepatic artery arising from the left gastric artery (a branch of the celiac trunk), which courses through the gastrohepatic ligament (lesser omentum) to reach the left lobe. This variant is classified as Type II in the Michel classification.