Volume 53 (2003) Issue: 2003 No#1

EXTRAHEPATIC AND INTRAHEPATIC VEINS OF THE PORTAL SYSTEM

Author(s): Nikolić Zora, Blagojević Zdenka, Vitorović D, Đelić Dijana, Nešić Ivana

Keywords:ground squirrel, extrahepatic veins, intrahepatic veins, portal system

From studies of the extrahepatic veins and intrahepatic veins of the portal system in the ground squirrel, using anatomical methods and rentgenography, the following can be concluded: The portal vein is formed by the confluence of three venous blood vessels which are present the extrahepatic part of the portal system in the ground squirrel: V. gastropancreaticoduodenalis, V. gastrolienalis and V. mesenterica cranialis. V. portae runs towards the portal fissure and divides, upon entering the liver, into a small right branch which is dispersed in the right lobes and a large left branch which ramifies in the remainder of the liver. V. gastropancreaticoduodenalis receives blood from the greater omentum of the stomach (V. gastroepiploica dextra), the cranial part of the duodenum and the right segment of the pancreas (V. pancreaticoduodenalis cranialis). Truncus gastrolienalis drains the parietal and visceral wall of the stomach (V. gastrica sinistra), the spleen and left portion of the greater omentum (V. lienalis). V. mesenterica cranialis collects blood from the middle part of the duodenum and adjacent part of the pancreas (V. pancreaticoduodenalis media), from the caudal part of the duodenum and the caudal segment of the pancreas (V. pancreaticoduodenalis caudalis), from the jejunum (Vv. jejunales) and from the ileum, cecum and colon (Truncus ileocecocolicus). The extrahepatic veins of the portal system in the ground squirrel are joined through a number of anastomoses. V. portae enters the portal fissure and divides into V. advehens lobi dextri lateralis et processus caudatus, V. advehens lobi dextri medialis, V. advehens processus papillaris, V. advehens lobi quadrati et lobi sinistri medialis and Vv. advehentes lobi sinistri lateralis which branch into a large number of smaller vessels in corresponding lobes of the liver. These veins form the intrahepatic part of the portal system in the ground squirrel