[citation needed] The celiac artery supplies oxygenated blood to the liver, stomach, abdominal esophagus, spleen, and the superior half of both the duodenum and the pancreas.

Thus it cannot be safely ligated in a living person, and obstruction of the celiac artery will lead to necrosis of the structures it supplies.

Most blood returning from the digestive organs (including from the area of distribution of the celiac artery) is diverted to the liver via the portal venous system for further processing and detoxification in the liver before returning to the systemic circulation via the hepatic veins.

[5] The celiac artery is vulnerable to compression from the crus of the diaphragm during ventilation where it originates from the abdominal aorta.

[6] This may present no symptoms, but can cause pain due to restricted blood flow to the superior mesenteric artery.