An 18-year-old man presents to the emergency department with a stab wound to the abdomen which he sustained 5 hours ago. The patient was walking home when he was confronted by a thief and stabbed on the street. Vital signed are temperature 98° F (36.7° C), blood pressure 90/60 mmHg, and heart rate 150 beats/minute. On physical examination, he appears pale and has cool and clammy extremities. Surgical consultation is obtained and the patient is taken to the operating room. During laparotomy, the surgeon finds a stab wound in the middle third of the transverse colon. The bleeding is stopped and bowel anastomosis is performed.
Which of the following organs has the same blood supply as the middle third of the transverse colon?
E) Head of the pancreas
The middle third of the transverse colon originates from the embryological midgut that is supplied by superior mesenteric artery. The head of pancreas is supplied by the gastroduodenal artery (a branch of common hepatic artery) and the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery (a branch of the superior mesenteric artery).
Answer choice A: First part of the duodenum, is incorrect. The first part of the duodenum is supplied by the gastroduodenal artery which comes from the common hepatic artery of the celiac trunk.
Answer choice B: Gallbladder, is incorrect. The gallbladder is supplied by the cystic artery which is a branch of the right hepatic artery of the common hepatic artery.
Answer choice C: Greater curvature of the stomach, is incorrect. This part of the stomach receives its blood supply from the celiac trunk and common hepatic artery. The greater curvature is supplied by the anastomosis formed by the union of the right and left gastroomental (gastroepiploic) arteries, which originate from the gastroduodenal and splenic arteries, respectively.
Answer choice D: Lesser curvature of the stomach, is incorrect. This part of the stomach receives its from the celiac trunk and common hepatic artery. The lesser curvature is supplied by the union of the left and right gastric arteries which originate from the common hepatic artery.
Key Learning Point
The superior mesenteric artery supplies the midgut structures from the second part of duodenum until the splenic flexure of the colon. The head of the pancreas is also included.
