Final answer:
The most common variant of the hepatic artery is the hepatic artery proper, a branch of the common hepatic artery from the celiac trunk, supplying oxygenated blood to the liver, alongside the hepatic portal vein which contributes nutrient-rich blood.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most common variant of the hepatic artery is the hepatic artery proper. This artery is a branch of the common hepatic artery, which is, in turn, a branch of the celiac trunk. The hepatic artery proper supplies systemic, oxygen-rich blood to the liver, vital for its function.
The blood supply to the liver is dual, coming from both the hepatic artery proper and the hepatic portal vein. While the hepatic artery provides oxygenated blood, the hepatic portal vein delivers nutrient-rich but partially deoxygenated blood from the digestive organs. The liver is then responsible for processing bloodborne nutrients and toxins, with processed blood draining into the central vein and through the hepatic vein to the inferior vena cava, completing the hepatic portal circulation.
Located at the porta hepatis, the entry point to the liver, the common hepatic artery also forms the right gastric artery and the cystic artery, indicating its significance in abdominal vascularization. The complex blood flow to the liver is essential not only for its metabolic functions but also as a site for potential disease processes, such as the metastasis of cancers from the alimentary canal.