Colectomie en situation difficile - le patient vasculaire ou déjà opéré : pièges et précautions

The colonic blood supply is provided by two main branches from the aorta: the superior and inferior mesenteric arteries. In physiological situation, there are numerous anatomical variations which knowledge is needed before any colonic surgery. A good knowledge of these variations is particularly important when the patient already had a colectomy or presents with thrombotic vascular disease. The aim of this review is to summarize the modal anatomy and the main variations of the colonic blood supply and their applications in colorectal surgery.