Knowledge of anatomical variations of the hepatic artery from its origin to intrahepatic segmentation is of utmost importance for planning upper abdominal surgeries including liver transplantation, pancreatoduodenectomy, and biliary reconstruction. The origin and branching pattern of the hepatic artery was thoroughly described by the classification of Michels and Hiatt. Some rare variations of the hepatic artery were classified by Kobayashi and Koops. By the use of the multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) technique, the branching pattern of the hepatic artery can be visualized quite accurately. Unawareness of these arterial variations may lead to intraoperative injuries such as necrosis, abscess, and failure of the liver and pancreas. The origin and course of the aberrant hepatic arteries are crucial in the surgical planning of carcinoma of the head of the pancreas and hepatobiliary surgeries. In liver transplant surgeries, to minimize intraoperative bleeding complications and postoperative thrombosis, exact anatomy of the branching of the hepatic artery, its variations and intrahepatic course is of utmost importance. This review discusses variations in the anatomy of the hepatic artery from its origin to branching by the use of advanced imaging techniques and its effect on the liver, pancreatic, biliary and gastric surgeries.

Understanding of variations in the course and source of abdominal arteries is crucial for any surgical intervention in the peritoneal space. Intricate surgeries of the upper abdominal region, such as hepato-biliary, pancreatic, gastric and splenic surgeries, require precise knowledge of regular anatomy and different variations related to celiac trunk and hepatic artery. In addition, information about the origin of inferior phrenic artery is important in conditions such as hepatocellular carcinoma and gastroesophageal bleeding management. The present study gives an account of anatomical variations in origin and branching pattern of celiac trunk and hepatic artery by the use of CT (computed tomographic) angiography. The study was performed on 110 (66 females and 44 males) patients in a north Indian population. Results unraveled the most common celiac trunk variation as hepatosplenic trunk with left gastric artery, which was observed in 60% of cases, more common in females than in males. Gastrosplenic and hepato-gastric trunk could be seen in 4.55% and 1.82% cases respectively. Gastrosplenic trunk was more commonly found in females, whereas hepato-gastric trunk was more common in males. A gastrosplenic trunk, along with the hepato-mesenteric trunk, was observed in 1.82% cases and was more common in males. A celiacomesenteric trunk, in which the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery originated as a common trunk from the aorta, was seen only in 0.91% of cases, and exhibited an origin of right and left inferior phrenic artery from the left gastric artery. The most common variation of hepatic artery, in which the right hepatic artery was replaced and originated from the superior mesenteric artery, was observed in 3.64%, cases with a more common occurrence in males. In 1.82% cases, the left hepatic artery was replaced and originated from the left gastric artery, which was observed only in females. Common hepatic artery originated from the superior mesenteric artery, as observed in 1.82% cases, with slightly higher occurrence in males. These findings not only add to the existing knowledge apart from giving an overview of variations in north Indian population, but also give an account of their correlation with gender. The present study will prove to be important for various surgeries of the upper abdominal region.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected every aspect of life worldwide, including the medical education system, with anatomy teaching being one of the most affected disciplines. To maintain continuity of education, educators rapidly transitioned to virtual teaching methods. The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of virtual teaching methods during the pandemic by conducting a student-based survey (378 undergraduate and postgraduate medical students) and comparing them with traditional in-person teaching methods. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed to evaluate student’s preferences and perceptions regarding virtual teaching. The survey showed that PowerPoint presentations were the most preferred method for online theory teaching, with an average of ~89.00% ( n =336) selecting this option across all streams. For online practical classes, YouTube dissection videos were chosen by ~50.00% ( n =189) of students of all streams as the most suitable method for learning anatomical dissection online. In-person live lectures with live streaming were chosen as the best model of online anatomy teaching by most of the students, with an average of ~80.00% ( n =302). Despite the adoption of various digital tools for online teaching, a significant proportion of students reported that their understanding through online teaching was lower compared to classical in-person teaching methods, with an average response of ~94.50%. Overall, the results indicate a general dissatisfaction among students with the fully online model of anatomy teaching; however, the responses also provided valuable suggestions for improvement of virtual teaching methods. The findings of this study highlight the challenges associated with online anatomy education and provide insights into potential strategies for improving virtual teaching methods. The data obtained may help educators to design more effective online teaching approaches, not only in situations such as pandemics but also as part of future blended learning models in medical education.