Preoperative evaluation of the confluent drainage veins to the gastrocolic trunk of Henle: understanding the surgical vascular anatomy during pancreaticoduodenectomy

Background The aim of this study was to classify the variations of the anatomical tributaries of the colic drainage veins into the gastrocolic trunk of Henle detected by three‐dimensional multidetector computed tomography to understand the surgical vascular anatomy during pancreaticoduodenectomy. Methods One hundred and twenty patients who underwent three‐dimensional multidetector computed tomography studies before pancreaticoduodenectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Results The gastrocolic trunk of Henle was identified in 100 patients (83.3%) by three‐dimensional multidetector computed tomography. The anatomical tributaries of the gastrocolic trunk of Henle described by three‐dimensional multidetector computed tomography were classified into four types based on the number of veins (superior right colic vein, right colic vein and middle colic vein) that drained into the gastrocolic trunk of Henle, as follows: Type‐0 (no colic drainage veins), ‐I (one colic drainage vein), ‐II (two colic drainage veins) and ‐III (three colic drainage veins). The frequencies of Type‐0, Type‐I, Type‐II and Type‐III were 7% (n = 7), 71% (n = 71), 20% (n = 20) and 2% (n = 2), respectively. Conclusions Three‐dimensional multidetector computed tomography can provide clinically useful information about the confluent colic drainage veins to gastrocolic trunk of Henle during pancreaticoduodenectomy.