Right Gastric Artery: Structure, Role, and Surgical Relevance

Right Gastric Artery: Vital Blood Vessel in Stomach Health and Surgery

The right gastric artery refers to the branch of the proper hepatic artery arising within the abdomen. It lies between two layers of the lesser omentum, a fold that connects the abdomen to other abdominal organs.

This vital yet small blood vessel runs along the curvature of the abdomen, giving off small branches, namely, the gastric branches and pyloric branches. These supply oxygenated blood to the anterior and posterior parts of the stomach.

What are the functions of the right gastric artery?

The following are the functions of the right gastric artery:

1. Supplies Necessary Nutrients: The right gastric artery is significant since it supplies necessary nutrients and oxygen to the stomach tissues. This supports physiological functions such as peristalsis, digestion, and mucosal protection.
2. Delivers Blood for Cellular Function: The blood supplied by the right gastric artery provides the oxygen and nutrients required by gastric cells, including the parietal cells that produce hydrochloric acid and the chief cells that produce pepsinogen, allowing them to perform their roles in digestion. 
3. Delivers Oxygen and Nutrients: With essential support from the right gastric artery, the epithelial cells of the gastric mucosa maintain their oxygen supply, allowing cellular respiration to proceed and continue generating energy.
   In addition, blood flowing through the right gastric artery repairs and regenerates tissues in the stomach lining. This way, it maintains the integrity and functionality of the stomach.
4. Supplies the Pyloric Region: The right gastric artery delivers oxygenated blood to the muscular tissues of the pylorus, providing the energy required for its contractile functions, which are regulated by the nervous and endocrine systems.
5. Provides Anatomic Support for Gastric Circulation: The connection between the left and right gastric arteries protects the stomach from ischaemia, which occurs due to a lack of blood flow.

What is the Difference Between the Right Gastric Artery and the Left Gastric Artery?

The right and left gastric arteries are interconnected via anastomosis. 'Anastomosis' refers to a surgical or natural connection between two tubular structures.

This anastomosis ensures that the lesser curvature of the stomach has an uninterrupted blood supply. It also offers redundancy, so that even if one artery is not working, blood flow does not stop.

Here is the difference between the right gastric artery and the left gastric artery:

Why is the right gastric artery important in surgery?

For surgeons who treat gastric ulcers and are involved in gastric bypass surgery, knowledge regarding the anatomy of the right gastric artery is important. Here is why:

1. Understanding how the vascular supply helps in reducing blood loss during surgery can ensure that the stomach's functions are normal.
2. During gastrectomy, when surgeons remove part of the stomach, preserving both gastric arteries becomes crucial to ensure uninterrupted blood supply to stomach tissues.
3. While treating stomach cancer, tumour removal involves the removal of associated blood vessels as well. During such times, the right gastric artery gets ligated or resected. This ensures that the tumour has been removed completely.
    

What is the function of the right gastric vein?

The right gastric vein, also known as the pyloric vein, drains blood from the stomach to the portal vein. This vein originates from venous tributaries and runs parallel to the right gastric artery.

The functions of the right gastric vein are as follows:

1. Drains the Lesser Curvature: The right gastric vein collects blood from the lesser curvature of the stomach. While running along the curvature closer to the right gastric artery, the vein empties into the portal vein.
2. Works as Drainage for the Pyloric Region: Being a tributary part of the portal vein, the right gastric vein carries blood to the portal vein and drains blood from the pylorus. The pylorus connects with the duodenum, which is the initial section of the small intestine.
    

Gastric arteries, both right and left, are essential for a consistent blood supply to the stomach. These arteries also assist in understanding different stomach-related disorders, such as gastric cancer and gastric ulcers. Therefore, before choosing any surgical procedures on the stomach, opt for preoperative techniques like Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) to reduce the risks of complications.