The hepatic arterial system variations: A systematic review with meta-analysis.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational and cadaveric anatomical studies
PubMed 41192686 · doi:10.1016/j.aanat.2025.152752
What was done
A systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA 2020 guidelines and Evidence-based Anatomy Workgroup protocols was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Studies reporting the prevalence of hepatic artery anatomical variants were pooled using random-effects models, with subgroup analyses by geographic region and study modality. A total of 85 studies encompassing 47,732 patients were analyzed.
What was found
Typical hepatic artery anatomy was identified in 69.96% of cases (95% CI: 66.78–73.05), with 30.04% showing variant anatomy. The most common variation involved the right hepatic artery, with a pooled prevalence of 11.38% (95% CI: 9.45–13.45). Prevalence varied significantly across geographic regions (higher in European populations) and investigation methods (higher detection rates in cadaveric studies).
Why it matters
Quantifying the prevalence of hepatic arterial variants provides precise baseline estimates that can guide preoperative planning and reduce complication risks during hepatobiliary surgery, liver transplantation, and interventional radiology.
Limits
The abstract notes significant heterogeneity across study designs and populations. Primary studies combined disparate assessment methods (cadaveric dissection versus clinical imaging), and the abstract lacked gender-specific and morphometric details.
Cited by
- supports The human liver is a highly vascular organ with substantial individual anatomical variability in blood vessels.