The Liver Flashcards

1
Q

describe the liver

A

this is a major organ that functions in metabolism of materials absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, as well as storing glycogen and releasing glucose

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2
Q

what are some of the functions of the liver

A
  • metabolism of materials absorbed from the git, storing glycogen and releasing glucose
  • protein synthesis
  • inactivation of hormones and drugs
  • excretion of waste
  • bile production
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3
Q

how big is the liver

A

around 1.5 kilos and is usually larger in males

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4
Q

what colour is the liver

A

red brown

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5
Q

how does the liver function in digestion

A

it is an accessory organ for digestion as it produces bile which goes on to be stored and concentrated in the gall bladder.
detoxifies and processes everything absorbed from the git and regulates glucose in the blood

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6
Q

which proteins are synthesised in the liver

A

clotting factors and platelet regulations

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7
Q

what can the liver inactivate

A

hormones
drugs
insulin
many waste products

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8
Q

why can the metabolism of drugs in the liver be of detriment

A

when the product of metabolism is more toxic than the inital compound, such as in use of paracetamol

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9
Q

where is the liver located in the abdomen

A

right hypochondrium, extending over to the epigastric region and to the left hypochondrium

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10
Q

what is the largest gland in the body

A

the liver

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11
Q

which internal organ is the heaviest

A

the liver

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12
Q

how many lobes are there on the liver

A

four

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13
Q

what is the liver covered by

A

lower ribs and costal cartilage

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14
Q

what is the falciform ligament

A

embryological remnant of ventral mesentery and attaches to the intestines to the posterior abdominal wall

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15
Q

what is the round ligament

A

a remnant of the umbilical vein
sometimes continuous with the ligamentum venosum, which is a fibrous remnant of the ductus venosus

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16
Q

what does the ductus venosus do

A

direct blood in fetal life

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17
Q

how is the liver supplied with blood

A

through a dual supply

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18
Q

for how much of blood flow do the hepatic arteries account for

A

25%

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19
Q

what does the hepatic artery do

A

provide oxygenated blood for the liver

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20
Q

what carries blood from the glut spleen and related organs to the liver

A

the hepatic portal vein

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21
Q

what do the intrahepatic ducts unite to form

A

the left and right extrahepatic ducts which link to the common hepatic duct

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22
Q

what does the common hepatic duct come from

A

the left and right hepatic ducts which carry bile to the gall bladder

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23
Q

what carries bile to the gall bladder

A

the left and right hepatic ducts

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24
Q

what is the liver made up of

A

hexagonal hepatic lobules containing liver cells

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25
Q

what are the liver cells

A

hepatocytes

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26
Q

what do liver cells or hepatocytes produce

A

bile

27
Q

what produces bile in the liver

A

hepatocytes

28
Q

what does bile contain

A

lipid emulsifiers and waste products including bile pigments

29
Q

what would the lipid emulsifiers contain in bile be

A

bile salts

30
Q

what would the bile pigments contained in bile be

A

bilirubin

31
Q

where is bile stored and concentrated

A

the gall bladder

32
Q

what do bile salts do

A

they help cholesterol metabolism and aid absorption of fat soluble vitamins

33
Q

what is bilirubin

A

a breakdown product of red blood cell metabolism

34
Q

how is bilirubin excreted

A

faeces

35
Q

why is shit brown x

A

bilirubin produced from red blood cell metabolism is a pigment released in the faeces

36
Q

what is the function of bilirubin

A

antioxidant

37
Q

what does the hepatic portal vein do

A

drains unpaired abdominal organs like the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, spleen, etc and takes all the absorbed material to the liver

38
Q

what percentage of blood supplied to the liver comes from the hepatic portal vein

A

75%

39
Q

what happens to material once it has been absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract

A

enters the hepatic portal vein to pass through the liver and be processed

40
Q

which vessels does the hepatic portal vein come from

A

the splenic and the superior mesenteric veins

41
Q

is the spleen avascular

A

no it is highly vascular

42
Q

what does the bulk of the blood going into the hepatic portal vein come from

A

the spleen

43
Q

which organs supply blood to the splenic portion of the hepatic portal vein

A

the spleen provides the bulk. some blood comes from the inferior mesenteric vein

44
Q

describe the route of the blood in the hepatic portal vein

A

blood carried from the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas and spleen to thel iver

45
Q

is the hepatic portal vein a true vein and explain your answer

A

no, as it conducts blood to the capillaries of the liver rather than to the heart

46
Q

what does the hepatic portal vein receive blood from

A

inferior mesenteric, stomach and gall bladder

47
Q

what is the hepatic artery a branch of

A

the coeliac trunk

48
Q

what is the blood supply of the liver

A

the hepatic artery and the hepatic portal vein

49
Q

how is blood processed in the liver

A

blood from the hepatic artery and hepatic portal vein flow past hepatocytes in sinusoids, which drain to the hepatic vein. bile flows in the opposite direction to the blood

50
Q

what is the central vein divided into

A

three parts called the portal triad

51
Q

describe the portal triad

A

the portal vein, the hepatic artery and the bile canaliculus

52
Q

what are sinusoids

A

capillaries with a larger diameter than normal capillaries that has specialised lining endothelial cells with a main role in clearing blood waste.

53
Q

what are kupffer cells

A

specialised macrophages

54
Q

how does the liver function in related to iron

A

stores and metabolises iron, which is then used by red blood cells for oxygen transport proteins like haemoglobin

55
Q

what are some disorders of the liver

A

hepatomegaly
cirrhosis
obstructive jaundice
hepatic carcinoma

56
Q

what is hepatomegaly

A

an enlarged liver which is a sign of underlying problems with the liver itself, or cardiac failure or cancer metastasis
presents with abdominal pain, fatique, nausea, vomiting and jaundice

57
Q

what is jaundice a symptom of

A

many conditions

58
Q

what is cirrhosis

A

scarring or fibrosis of the liver. caused by inflammation like hepatitis or chronic alcoholism

59
Q

what is obstructive jaundice caused by

A

pancreatic cancer and gall stones

60
Q

what is hepatic carcinoma caused by

A

primary liver cancer, linked to chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. may require surgery, liver transplant or chemotherapy. it is the most common primary liver cancer

61
Q

what is ERCP

A

endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

62
Q

describe the route of an ERCP

A

scope is fed into the oral cavity, into the back of the pharynx, down the oesophagus, into the stomach toward the duodenum. at the major papilla, dye is projected upward to give an outline of the tubes and highlight any blockages

63
Q

what does the cystic duct control

A

secretions in and out of the gall bladder

64
Q

what does retrograde mean

A

something is going backward