Corpus: Gastroduodenal artery

The gastroduodenal artery is a small but vital vascular branch that typically arises from the common hepatic artery. It supplies arterial blood to the proximal part of the duodenum, the pyloric region of the stomach, the head of the pancreas, and the greater omentum.

The artery's origin can vary; besides arising from the common hepatic artery, it may directly originate from the abdominal aorta, and in approximately 10 % of cases, from the superior mesenteric artery.

The gastroduodenal artery divides into its terminal branches after a short course, providing vital blood supply to the upper digestive system:

• Supraduodenal artery
• Retroduodenal artery
• Right gastroepiploic artery
  • Gastric branches
  • Omentales branches
• Superior pancreaticoduodenal artery
  • Superior anterior pancreaticoduodenal artery
  • Pancreatic branches
  • Duodenal branches
  • Superior posterior pancreaticoduodenal artery

The gastroduodenal artery can become a source of erosive bleeding in (e.g. peptic) duodenal ulcers.