Arterial Blood Supply to the First Part of the Duodenum
The arterial supply to the duodenum is confusing, even for experienced surgeons – in part because of the normal anatomic variability found in individuals.
The main arterial root is the common hepatic artery which branches off to form the gastroduodenal artery and the proper hepatic artery. The gastroduodenal artery then sends two branches to the first part of the duodenum – the supraduodenal artery and the posteriorly running superior pancreaticoduodenal branch – aka as the retroduodenal artery of Edwards)