ASO Author Reflections: Anatomic Variations Around the Middle Colic Artery and the Middle Colic Vein

Excerpt

Laparoscopic surgery for transverse colon cancer is regarded as technically demanding for many surgeons. The lymph nodes around the roots of the middle colic vessels should be retrieved for sufficient lymph node dissection, but this procedure is difficult due to the complexity of the vascular variability in this area and the high risk of incurring bleeding. To date, several studies have investigated in detail individual variations in independent arteries or veins, and that information has elucidated the distribution of vascular patterns.1^–3 However, during surgery, it is much more important to understand the vascular interrelationships between arteries and veins. Unfortunately, this information remains unknown. The current study addressed this issue and aimed to clarify the vascular interrelationships around the middle colic vessels to provide important knowledge for surgeons who perform laparoscopic surgery for transverse colon resections.4 …