BACKGROUND　Radical　D2　lymphadenectomy　for　advanced　gastric　cancer　as　a　standard　procedure　has　gained　global　consensus.　Mounting　studies　have　shown　that　the　number　of　lymph　nodes　dissection　directly　affects　the　prognosis　and　recurrence　of　gastric　cancer.　Our　previous　study　showed　that　there　was　no　obvious　lymph　node　around　the　abnormal　hepatic　artery　derived　from　the　superior　mesenteric　artery.　AIM　To　investigate　the　relationship　between　celiac　artery　variation　and　the　number　of　lymph　nodes　dissection　in　gastric　cancer　surgery.　METHODS　The　clinicopathological　data　of　421　patients　treated　with　radical　D2　lymphadenectomy　were　analyzed　retrospectively.　The　difference　of　the　number　of　lymph　nodes　dissection　between　the　celiac　artery　variation　group　and　the　normal　vessels　group　and　the　relationship　with　prognosis　were　analyzed.　RESULTS　Celiac　artery　variation　was　found　in　110　patients,　with　a　variation　rate　of　26.13%.　Celiac　artery　variation,　tumor　staging,　and　Borrmann　typing　were　factors　that　affected　lymph　node　clearance　in　gastric　cancer,　and　the　number　of　lymph　nodes　dissection　in　patients　with　celiac　artery　variation　was　significantly　less　than　that　of　non-variant　groups　(P　＜　0.05).　Univariate　analysis　showed　that　there　was　no　significant　difference　in　survival　time　between　the　two　groups　(P　＞　0.05).　Univariate　and　multiple　Cox　regression　analysis　showed　that　celiac　artery　variation　was　not　a　prognostic　factor　for　gastric　cancer　(P　＞　0.05).　Tumor　staging,　intraoperative　bleeding,　and　positive　lymph　node　ratio　were　prognostic　factors　for　gastric　cancer　patients　(all　P　＜　0.05).　CONCLUSION　The　number　of　lymph　nodes　dissection　in　patients　with　celiac　artery　variation　was　reduced,　but　there　was　no　obvious　effect　on　prognosis.　Therefore,　lymph　nodes　around　the　abnormal　hepatic　artery　may　not　need　to　be　dissected　in　radical　D2　lymphadenectomy.