Hepatocystic triangle

Changed by Craig Hacking, 26 Aug 2019

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Calot triangle or cystohepatic triangle is a small (potential) triangular space at the porta hepatis of surgical importance as it is dissected during cholecystectomy. Its contents, the cystic artery and cystic duct must be identified before ligation and division to avoid damaging them during the operation.

Gross anatomy

Boundaries

The (isosceles) triangle is positioned so that the apex points towards the liver with the boundaries:

  • right: the cystic duct which is often tortuous and has a beaded appearance, passes downward and to the left to join the common duct
  • leftcommon hepatic duct
  • superior: the inferior surface of the liver (in the original description by Calot the cystic artery is defined as the superior margin)
Contents

History and etymology

This space was first described by the French surgeon, Jean-François Calot (1861–1944) 3 in 1891, as part of his PhD thesis; although the space as described by Calot differs slightly from the modern description 4

  • -<p><strong>Calot triangle </strong>is a small (potential) triangular space at the <a href="/articles/porta-hepatis">porta hepatis</a> of surgical importance as it is dissected during cholecystectomy. Its contents, the <a href="/articles/cystic-artery">cystic artery</a> and <a href="/articles/cystic-duct">cystic duct</a> must be identified before ligation and division to avoid damaging them during the operation.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Boundaries</h5><p>The (isosceles) triangle is positioned so that the apex points towards the liver with the boundaries:</p><ul>
  • -<li>right: the <a href="/articles/cystic-duct">cystic duct</a> which is often tortuous and has a beaded appearance, passes downward and to the left to join the common duct</li>
  • -<li>left: <a href="/articles/common-hepatic-duct">common hepatic duct </a>
  • +<p><strong>Calot triangle </strong>or<strong> cystohepatic triangle </strong>is a small (potential) triangular space at the <a href="/articles/porta-hepatis">porta hepatis</a> of surgical importance as it is dissected during cholecystectomy. Its contents, the <a href="/articles/cystic-artery">cystic artery</a> and <a href="/articles/cystic-duct">cystic duct</a> must be identified before ligation and division to avoid damaging them during the operation.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><h5>Boundaries</h5><p>The (isosceles) triangle is positioned so that the apex points towards the liver with the boundaries:</p><ul>
  • +<li>
  • +<strong>right</strong>: the <a href="/articles/cystic-duct">cystic duct</a> which is often tortuous and has a beaded appearance, passes downward and to the left to join the common duct</li>
  • +<li>
  • +<strong>left</strong>: <a href="/articles/common-hepatic-duct">common hepatic duct </a>
  • -<li>superior: the inferior surface of the liver (in the original description by Calot the cystic artery is defined as the superior margin)</li>
  • +<li>
  • +<strong>superior</strong>: the inferior surface of the liver (in the original description by Calot the cystic artery is defined as the superior margin)</li>

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