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Calot's triangle
📍 Calot's triangle (cystohepatic triangle) is an important anatomical landmark in hepatobiliary surgery. It lies in the right upper quadrant and is crucial during cholecystectomy because of its relationship to the cystic artery, bile ducts, and lymph nodes.
🔲 Boundaries of Calot's Triangle
- Medial: Common hepatic duct
- Lateral: Cystic duct
- Superior: Inferior surface of the liver (originally described as cystic artery by Calot)
📦 Contents of Calot's Triangle
- 🩸 Cystic artery – key structure to ligate during cholecystectomy
- 🧬 Lymph node of Lund
- ➕ Possible accessory bile ducts or arteries
⚕️ Clinical Significance
- Cholecystectomy: Safe dissection of Calot’s triangle is essential to identify and ligate the cystic artery & cystic duct, while protecting the common bile duct.
- Variants: Vascular and ductal anomalies are common; knowledge reduces risk of complications.
- Bile Duct Injuries: Misidentification can cause serious morbidity.
- Inflammation/Scarring: e.g. acute cholecystitis, which can obscure anatomy and increase risk of injury.
📜 History
First described by French surgeon Jean-François Calot in 1891. Originally, Calot defined the cystic artery as the superior border, but the modern definition uses the inferior surface of the liver.
📝 Summary
Calot’s triangle is a key surgical landmark for hepatobiliary surgeons. Safe surgery depends on clear identification of its boundaries and contents, especially during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
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