Background: This study reported a rare case of coeliac trunk pentafurcation variation and reviewed the relevant literature to summarize the classification of coeliac trunk variations and their potential clinical significance. Materials and methods: This study provided a detailed anatomical description of a coeliac trunk pentafurcation variation found in the cadaver of an elderly Chinese woman, measuring and recording the diameter and positional relationships of each branch. Through a literature review, we summarised the classification, frequency, and clinical significance of coeliac trunk variations. Results: Anatomical findings revealed that the coeliac trunk in this case gave rise to five branches: the left inferior phrenic artery, left gastric artery, splenic artery, right inferior phrenic artery, and common hepatic artery. A literature review indicated that the typical coeliac trunk three-branch pattern occurs with a frequency of 89.42%. Atypical branch patterns include two branches (7.66%), four branches (1.74%), and five or more branches (0.18%). Among the cases of pentafurcation variation, those involving bilateral inferior phrenic arteries are extremely rare, with only sporadic reports in the literature. This variation may impact surgical planning and patient treatment strategies, making it essential to recognise in clinical practice. Conclusions: Understanding the normal anatomical structure of the coeliac trunk and the variations in its branching pattern has significant reference value in surgery, oncology and radiological interventional procedures. Clinicians should remain vigilant in clinical practice and be prepared to address potential anatomical variations they may encounter. Furthermore, rare anatomical variations should be thoroughly documented and reported to enrich medical literature and provide valuable resources for anatomical teaching.
Qin et al. (Thu,) studied this question.