Liver anatomy

Question 1

What peritoneum is mainly covering the liver?

Answer 1

The visceral peritoneum

Question 2

What are the lobes of the liver and where found?

Answer 2

Anterior surface: right and left lobe

Posterior inferior surface: Caudate and quadrate lobe

Question 3

What separates the right and left lobe?

Answer 3

Falciform ligament

Question 4

What is the liver innervated by?

Answer 4

Hepatic plexus formed by fibres of the vagus nerve

Question 5

Describe the arterial supply of the liver?

Answer 5

Coeliac trunk > common hepatic artery > hepatic proper artery > right and left hepatic artery

the gastroduodenal artery branches off the common hepatic artery when it turns into the hepatic proper artery

Question 6

Describe the venous drainage of the liver?

Answer 6

Venous blood of the liver drains into 2/3 large hepatic veins which connect to the inferior vena cava.

Question 7

What is the difference between the hepatic portal vein and venous drainage of the liver?

Answer 7

The hepatic portal veins function is to carry blood containing nutrients and toxins from the small intestine, spleen, gall bladder and pancreas to the liver whereas the venous drainage of the liver occurs via 2/3 large hepatic veins found in the liver that are not visible externally.

Question 8

What are the 2 surfaces of the liver?

Answer 8

Diaphragmatic surface
Visceral surface

Question 9

How is the liver connected to the diaphragm?

Answer 9

Coronary and triangular ligaments

Question 10

How is the liver connected to the anterior abdominal wall?

Answer 10

falciform ligament

Question 11

How is the liver connected to the stomach and duodenum?

Answer 11

lesser omentum

Question 12

What are the areas of the liver not covered by the visceral peritoneum?

Answer 12

Bare area of liver
Where gall bladder lies
Region of porta hepatis

Question 13

How many functional segments of the liver are there?

Answer 13

8

Question 14

What quadrant does the liver lie in?

Answer 14

The right upper quadrant and the epigastric region

Question 15

What is the portal triad?

Answer 15

The hepatic artery, the hepatic portal vein, and the bile duct.

Question 16

What are the 2 liver recesses?

Answer 16

• The hepatorenal recess lies between the right kidney and the posterior (visceral) surface of the right side of the liver. Fluid flows into this space in the supine position.
• The left and right subphrenic recesses lie either side of the falciform ligament, between the anterosuperior surface of the liver and the diaphragm.

Question 17

What is the ligamentum teres?

Answer 17

A free edge of the falciform ligament.
A remnant of the umbilical vein which carries oxygenated blood from the placenta to the foetus.

Question 18

What is the ligamentum venosum?

Answer 18

Lies on the posterior surface of the liver between the caudate lobe and left lobe.

It is the remnant of the ductus venosus which diverts blood from the umbilical vein to the inferior vena cava in a foetus.

Question 19

Where is visceral pain from the gall bladder and liver felt?

Answer 19

Epigastrium

Question 20

What are the 3 parts of the gall bladder?

Answer 20

Fundus
Body
Neck

Question 21

Where is the surface marking of the fundus?

Answer 21

Tip of the 9th costal cartilage where the right midclavicular line intersects the right costal margin.

Question 22

What cells produce bile?

Answer 22

Hepatocytes

Question 23

Describe the blood supply and venous drainage of the gall bladder?

Answer 23

Arterial supply: cystic artery arises from the hepatic artery

Venous drainage: cystic veins that pass directly into the liver or join the hepatic portal vein

Question 24

How is the gall bladder innervated?

Answer 24

Parasympathetic and sympathetic fibres.