Portal vein

Question 1

What is the length of the portal vein?

Answer 1

About 3 inches (7.5 cm)

Question 2

What areas does the portal vein collect blood from?

Answer 2

Abdominal and pelvic alimentary tract (except lower anal canal), gallbladder, pancreas, spleen

Question 3

What percentage of liver blood flow is provided by the portal vein?

Answer 3

About 80%

Question 4

How much blood volume do the portal vein and its branches hold?

Answer 4

Up to one-third of total body blood

Question 5

Do the portal vein and its tributaries have valves?

Answer 5

No

Question 6

What does the portal vein transport from the intestine to the liver?

Answer 6

Products of digestion of carbohydrates, proteins, nutrients

Question 7

What does the portal vein transport from the spleen to the liver?

Answer 7

Products of red cell destruction

Question 8

Where does the portal vein discharge its blood in the liver?

Answer 8

Into hepatic sinusoids

Question 9

Where is portal venous blood drained after hepatic sinusoids?

Answer 9

By hepatic veins into IVC

Question 10

How does the portal vein begin and end?

Answer 10

Begins like a vein from capillary bed, ends like an artery in hepatic sinusoids

Question 11

How is the portal vein formed?

Answer 11

Union of superior mesenteric and splenic veins

Question 12

Where does portal vein formation occur?

Answer 12

Behind neck of pancreas at L2 level

Question 13

What is the course of the portal vein after formation?

Answer 13

Runs upward and right behind pancreas neck, ascends behind duodenum, enters right free edge of lesser omentum

Question 14

Where does the portal vein terminate?

Answer 14

Right end of porta hepatis

Question 15

What are the terminal branches of the portal vein?

Answer 15

Right and left branches

Question 16

Which branch of portal vein is shorter and wider?

Answer 16

Right branch

Question 17

Which vein joins the right branch before entering right liver lobe?

Answer 17

Cystic vein

Question 18

Which branch of portal vein is longer and narrower?

Answer 18

Left branch

Question 19

Where does the left branch give branches to?

Answer 19

Caudate and quadrate lobes

Question 20

Which veins unite with the left branch before entering the left liver lobe?

Answer 20

paraumbilical veins, which runs aling the ligamentum teres

Question 21

What do the intrahepatic branches of portal vein end in?

Answer 21

Hepatic sinusoids

Question 22

What mixes with portal blood in hepatic sinusoids?

Answer 22

Hepatic arterial blood

Question 23

What separates liver cells from blood in sinusoids?

Answer 23

Single layer of phagocytes and fenestrated epithelium

Question 24

Into what is the portal vein divided for descriptive purposes?

Answer 24

Infraduodenal, retroduodenal, supraduodenal parts

Question 25

What lies anterior to infraduodenal part?

Answer 25

Neck of pancreas

Question 26

What lies posterior to infraduodenal part?

Answer 26

IVC

Question 27

What lies anterior to retroduodenal part?

Answer 27

First part of duodenum, bile duct, gastroduodenal artery

Question 28

What lies posterior to retroduodenal part?

Answer 28

IVC

Question 29

What lies anterior to supraduodenal part?

Answer 29

Hepatic artery (left), bile duct (right)

Question 30

What lies posterior to supraduodenal part?

Answer 30

IVC

Question 31

Name two formative tributaries of the portal vein

Answer 31

Splenic vein, superior mesenteric vein

Question 32

Where does the superior pancreaticoduodenal vein join portal vein?

Answer 32

Behind first part of duodenum

Question 33

Where do left and right gastric veins join portal vein?

Answer 33

In right free margin of lesser omentum

Question 34

What does the left gastric vein receive?

Answer 34

Esophageal veins from lower esophagus

Question 35

What does the right gastric vein receive?

Answer 35

Prepyloric vein (of Mayo)

Question 36

Where does cystic vein join the portal system?

Answer 36

Right branch of portal vein

Question 37

Where do paraumbilical veins run and join portal system?

Answer 37

With ligamentum teres in falciform ligament, join left branch

Question 38

What are portocaval anastomoses?

Answer 38

Connections between portal and systemic veins

Question 39

Name five sites of portocaval anastomoses

Answer 39

Umbilicus, lower esophagus, anal canal, retroperitoneal organs, bare area of liver

Question 40

What is caput medusae?

Answer 40

Tortuous veins around umbilicus due to portal hypertension

Question 41

What causes esophageal varices?

Answer 41

Distension of left gastric and accessory hemiazygous vein anastomoses

Question 42

What causes hemorrhoids in portal hypertension?

Answer 42

Dilation of superior and middle/inferior rectal vein anastomoses

Question 43

What is portal hypertension?

Answer 43

Portal pressure >40 mmHg (normal 5�15 mmHg)

Question 44

Most common cause of portal hypertension?

Answer 44

Alcoholic liver cirrhosis

Question 45

Four effects of portal hypertension?

Answer 45

Splenomegaly, ascites, oesophageal varices, haemorrhoids, caput medusae