SynthesisSurgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA2025
The anatomy of the inferior mesenteric artery: a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Anatomical characterization and visualization of the left dominant inferior mesenteric ganglionated plexus for nerve sparing colorectal surgery.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Article
- The Blood Supply of the Stomach: Anatomical and Surgical Considerations.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- A rare case of coeliac-colica-mesenteric anastomosis: distal anastomosis between the coeliac trunk and the left colic artery.Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA · 2025Article
- Total colonic supply via the inferior mesenteric artery.Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA · 2025Article
- Left colic artery-preserving radical rectal cancer surgery: a literature review.Frontiers in surgery · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeThis evidence-based systematic review with meta-analysis aims to synthesize the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) variants including their origin level, branching patterns, and morphometric characteristics. MATERIALS AND
methodsThe study adhered to the latest guidelines. Four online databases were used for the systematic review, and studies that reported the prevalence of IMA variants were considered eligible for inclusion. A statistical meta-analysis was conducted using R programming software with a random-effects model to calculate the pooled prevalence of the variants.
resultsTwenty-three (23) studies were included in this analysis. The IMA typically originated at the 3rd lumbar vertebra (L3) level, occurring in 70.16% of cases. The most common branching pattern of the IMA was bifurcated, indicating a pooled prevalence of 63.89%. This predominant pattern involved the IMA bifurcating into the left colic artery (LCA) and a common trunk for both the superior rectal artery (SRA) and the sigmoid artery (SA), with a pooled prevalence of 46.09%. The IMA trifurcation and tetrafurcation had pooled prevalences of 27.35% and 11.62%, respectively. The diameter of the IMA had a pooled mean of 41.41 mm, and the distance from the IMA's origin to the LCA had a pooled mean of 40.67 mm.
conclusionsThis review of existing literature delineates the IMA levels of origin, branching patterns, and morphometric characteristics. A comprehensive understanding of the surgical anatomy of this vessel is imperative during colorectal cancer procedures. Consequently, surgeons operating in this anatomical region must possess an in-depth knowledge of typical and variant anatomical structures.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.