Right colic artery
The right colic artery is an artery of the abdomen. It is a branch of the superior mesenteric artery. It supplies the ascending colon. It may be removed in a right hemicolectomy. Structure. The right colic artery is a branch of the superior mesenteric artery. It may arise from about the middle of the concavity, or from a stem common to it and the ileocolic. It passes to the right behind the peritoneum, and in front of the right internal spermatic or ovarian vessels, the right ureter and the psoas major muscle, toward the middle of the  ascending colon. Sometimes, it lies at a higher level, and crosses the descending part of the duodenum and the lower end of the right kidney. At the colon, it divides into a descending branch and an ascending branch. The descending branch anastomoses with the ileocolic artery. The ascending branch anastomoses with the middle colic artery. These branches form arches, from the convexity of which vessels are distributed to the ascending colon. Variation. The right colic artery is missing in around 10% of people. Function. The right colic artery supplies the ascending colon. Clinical significance. In a right hemicolectomy to remove  the caecum and the ascending colon, the right colic artery is ligated and removed. Ligation is performed close to the origin of the right colic artery from the superior mesenteric artery. If part of the superior mesenteric artery is missing due to a congenital abnormality, the right colic artery may supply part of the ileum.