Surgical　resection　remains　the　principal　treatment　for　advanced　gastric　cancer.　However,　one　of　the　difficulties　in　radical　D2　lymphadenectomy　is　the　identification　of　the　vascular　abnormalities　around　the　stomach,　especially　abnormal　hepatic　artery.　The　hepatic　artery　arising　from　the　superior　mesenteric　artery　shows　great　variations,　and　whether　or　not　the　lymphatic　tissues　around　the　abnormal　artery　should　be　dissected　is　still　controversial.　Eighty-six　gastric　cancer　patients　who　underwent　radical　D2　lymphadenectomy　by　the　same　surgeon　in　our　department　in　the　past　2　years　were　included　in　this　study.　All　patients　underwent　multislice　spiral　computed　tomography　angiography　for　preoperative　evaluation　of　the　abnormal　hepatic　artery　arising　from　the　superior　mesenteric　artery.　Postoperative　immunohistochemistry　of　the　lymphoid　tissues　around　the　abnormal　hepatic　artery　was　performed　using　CK20　and　CEA　antibodies　to　determine　the　occurrence　of　lymph　node　micrometastasis　around　the　abnormal　artery.　In　our　study,　we　found　14　cases　with　an　abnormal　hepatic　artery　arising　from　the　superior　mesenteric　artery.　The　hepatic　artery　ran　in　front　of　the　pancreas　in　1　case　and　behind　the　pancreas　in　13　cases.　Immunohistochemical　analyses　revealed　no　micrometastasis　in　the　lymphoid　tissues　surrounding　the　abnormal　artery.　Abnormal　hepatic　arteries　arising　from　the　superior　mesenteric　artery　can　be　classified　into　pre-pancreas　and　post-pancreas　types.　Lymph　nodes　around　the　abnormal　artery　may　not　need　to　be　dissected　in　radical　D2　lymphadenectomy.