Intrahepatic ramifications of the portal vein in the horse

Abstract

The ramifications of the portal vein in the liver of horses were studied by using corrosion casting and gross dissection. The portal vein in the horse supplies the hepatic lobes by six major branches. The right lobe is supplied by three main branches, namely the dorsal diaphragmatic, the right caudodorsal and the right intermediate branches. The left branch supplies the left lateral and medial lobes and parts of the quadrate lobe adjacent to the left medial lobe. The caudate branch supplies caudate process of the caudate lobe. The right common trunk supplies also a part of right lobe and quadrate lobe. Therefore, the pattern of blood distribution in portal vein of horse differs from that of other species.