Abstract
Background: Large laparoscopic cholecystectomy series often fail to report the rate at which a third structure is encountered in Calot's triangle.
Methods: During a 6-month period, the liver and hepatoduodenal ligament of 90 consecutive human cadavers underwent corrosion casting (n= 50), postmortem arteriography (n= 20), and postmortem cholangiography (n= 20).
Results: Third structures within Calot's triangle were arteries (0.6–5.7 mm diameter) in 36.2% (early division of the right hepatic artery, 8.6%; caterpillar hump right hepatic artery, 12.9%; liver branch of the cystic artery, 10%; double cystic arteries, 5.7%), bile ducts (0.3–1.6 mm diameter) in 5.7% (small-caliber sectoral ducts, 1.4%; right posterior hepatic ducts, 4.3%), and veins (0.9–1.6 mm diameter) merging with the portal vein in 4% of the specimens.
Conclusion: Knowledge of the aforementioned anatomy is critical to surgeons facing more than two structures within Calot's triangle during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 17 December 1998/Accepted: 26 March 1999
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bergamaschi, R., Ignjatovic, D. More than two structures in Calot's triangle . Surg Endosc 14, 354–357 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004640000154
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004640000154