Gastroepiploic Arteries, Anterior View

Description

Framed by the anterior thoracoabdominal wall and costal margins, the stomach occupies the left upper quadrant with the esophagus entering superiorly and the greater curvature sweeping inferiorly and laterally. Along that greater curvature, the right and left gastroepiploic (gastro-omental) arteries form a tortuous arcade within the attached greater omentum, meeting near the midportion of the stomach between the pyloric antrum and the fundus. The liver overlies the proximal stomach superiorly with the gallbladder tucked on its inferior surface, while jejunal and ileal loops fill the central abdomen and the haustrated colon frames them peripherally. Color-coded companion veins track the arterial course, with adjacent lymphatic vessels and nodes and autonomic nerve pathways shown in situ against the mesentery. This anterior perspective makes the gastroepiploic vessels easy to follow because their hallmark meandering course hugs the gastric wall and then disappears into the omental apron. Surgeons rely on this anatomy during antrectomy, sleeve gastrectomy, and omentectomy, where division too close to the stomach risks devascularizing the greater curvature and injuring short gastric branches near the fundus. For reconstructive work, the right gastroepiploic artery is a common pedicle for gastric and omental flaps, so its relationship to the pylorus and transverse colon is not academic. Use this artwork in upper GI anatomy teaching to anchor lessons on celiac trunk branching, gastric arterial arcades, and lymphatic drainage along the greater curvature relevant to gastric carcinoma staging. It also fits operative atlases and patient-facing materials explaining bariatric procedures or control of upper GI bleeding from greater-curvature sources. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.