Left Gastric Artery, Posterior View

Description

Arising from the celiac trunk, the left gastric artery ascends to the abdominal esophagus and then turns inferiorly to run along the lesser curvature of the stomach, coursing within the lesser omentum. From a posterior perspective, its relationship to the posterior surface of the stomach body is clear, with small esophageal branches tracking superiorly toward the esophageal hiatus and gastric branches descending along the cardia and proximal corpus. The esophagus enters superiorly, and the pyloric region continues into the duodenum inferiorly and to the viewer’s right. Clean landmarks. Surgeons care about this vessel because it marks the arterial supply to the proximal lesser curvature and lower esophagus, territories that become clinically relevant in upper gastrointestinal bleeding and oncologic resection. Ligation or division of the left gastric artery is a routine step in subtotal and total gastrectomy with D1/D2 lymphadenectomy, and its proximal origin near the celiac axis is a recognized site where anatomic variants and lymph node packets cluster. Posterior orientation also reinforces how the vessel is approached in laparoscopic surgery as the lesser sac is entered and the lesser omentum is tensioned for exposure. Use this artwork for teaching celiac trunk branching patterns in gross anatomy and for clarifying foregut vascular territories in GI surgery modules, bariatric education (sleeve gastrectomy anatomy along the lesser curvature), and endoscopy or radiology primers addressing sources of upper GI hemorrhage. It also suits journal figures discussing gastric cancer nodal basins along the left gastric pedicle and esophagogastric junction resections. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.