Preoperative embolization of replaced right hepatic artery prior to pancreaticoduodenectomy

Aberrancy of the hepatic arterial anatomy is common. Because of its course directly adjacent to the head of the pancreas, a replaced right hepatic artery (RHA) is vulnerable to invasion by peri-pancreatic malignancies. Division of the RHA at the time of pancreaticoduodenectomy, however, may result in hepatic infarction and/or bilioenteric anastomotic complications. We report two cases of patients undergoing preoperative embolization of tumor encased replaced RHAs to allow for sufficient collateralization prior to pancreaticoduodenectomy. J. Surg. Oncol. 2012; 106:509-512. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.