Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The middle suprarenal artery arising from the superior mesenteric artery

  • Anatomic Variations
  • Published:
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We observed a rare case of the middle suprarenal artery branching out from the superior mesenteric artery in a 78-year-old male. This atypical artery enters the right suprarenal gland that was also supplied by the superior and the inferior suprarenal arteries as usual. In embryonic stages, vasculature of the vitelline system and the gonadal system is differentially organized. The superior mesenteric artery has been generally thought to be pure vitelline, since there has been no evidence that the superior mesenteric artery supplies other organs than digestive. We then speculate that the present middle suprarenal artery is a remnant of the embryonic gonadal artery from the superior mesenteric artery, whereas a stem artery to the testis disappeared. Surgeons should take notice of the middle suprarenal artery when operations are conducted around the superior mesenteric artery.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gagnon R (1964) Middle suprarenal arteries in man: a statistical study of two hundred human adrenal glands. Rev Can Biol 23:461–467

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Gray SW, Skandalakis JE (1972) Embryology for surgeons. WB Saunders, Philadelphia, p 555

    Google Scholar 

  3. Isogai S, Horiguchi M, Hitomi J (2010) The para-aortic ridge plays a key role in the formation of the renal, adrenal and gonadal vascular systems. J Anat 216:656–670

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Lippert H, Pabst R (1985) Arterial variations in man. JF Bergmann, München, pp 23–24

    Book  Google Scholar 

  5. Manso JC, DiDio LJA (2000) Anatomical variations of the human suprarenal arteries. Ann Anat 182:483–488

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Merklin RJ, Michels NA (1958) The variant renal and suprarenal blood supply with data on the inferior phrenic, ureteral and gonadal arteries. J Int Coll Surg 29:41–76

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Miękoś E (1979) Anatomical basis of radiodiagnosis of the adrenal gland. Int Urol and Nephrol 11:193–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Schoenwolf GC, Bleyl SB, Brauer PR, Francis-West PH (2009) Larsen’s human embryology, 4th edn. Elsevier Churchill Livingstone, Philadelphia, pp 408–410, 499–500

    Google Scholar 

  9. Skandalakis JE (2004) Skandalakis’ surgical anatomy, vol 2. Paschalidis Medical Publications, Athens

    Google Scholar 

  10. Sreenarasimhaiah J (2003) Diagnosis and management of intestinal ischaemic disorders. BMJ 326:1372–1376

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Standring S (2008) Gray’s anatomy: the anatomical basis of clinical practice, 40th edn. Elsevier Churchill Livingstone, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Division of Morphological Neuroscience, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tsukinowa-cho, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2192, Japan

    Satoru Honma & Motoi Kudo

  2. Neurosensing and Bionavigation Research Center, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan

    Motoi Kudo

Authors
  1. Satoru Honma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Motoi Kudo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Satoru Honma.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Honma, S., Kudo, M. The middle suprarenal artery arising from the superior mesenteric artery. Surg Radiol Anat 34, 93–95 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-011-0856-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-011-0856-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation