Liver Flashcards
What is jaundice?
- yellow discoloration of the skin, sclera, and mucous membranes
- due to the release of bilirubin
- often due to liver damage
Describe the liver.
- largest visceral organ
- largest gland in the body
What are the functions of the liver?
- bile secretion
- metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates
- storage of glycogen, vitamins, and iron
- detoxificaton - alcohol, drugs, natural toxins
What are the surfaces of the liver?
- diaphragmatic surface: superior and convex; separated from the visceral surface by a sharp, inferior border
- visceral surface: inferior and concave
What is the porta hepatis?
the hilum of the liver
What does the porta hepatis contain?
- common hepatic duct (to the right and anterior)
- hepatic artery proper (to the left and anterior)
- portal vein (behind)
What does the bile duct form the anterior border of? What structure does it become prior to passing through the porta hepatis?
- omental foramen
- common hepatic duct
What are the anatomical lobes of the liver?
- right lobe
- quadrate lobe
- caudate lobe
- left lobe
Describe the right lobe of the liver.
- the gallbladder lies in a fossa on its visceral surface (anteriorly)
- the inferior vena cava lies posterior to the gallbladder
- largest and thickest lobe
Describe the quadrate lobe.
- lies between the right and left lobes, anterior to the porta hepatis
- gallbladder is immediately to the right of it
Describe the caudate lobe.
lies between the right and left lobes, posterior to the porta hepatis
Describe the left lobe of the liver.
- to the left of the falciform ligament
- smaller and flatter than the right lobe
Describe the functional halves of the liver.
- the anatomical lobes are used for descriptive purposes; they do not correspond to the actual functional units of the liver
- a functional division through the liver would be made to the right of the falciform ligament; the division would be made forward from the inferior vena cava through the gallbladder
- this division divides the liver into right and left halves of nearly equal weight
What are the hepatic segments for each functional half of the liver?
- Hepatic segments I-IV in the left functional half
- Hepatic segments V-VIII in the right functional half
What structures distribute to the right and left functional halves of the liver?
- hepatic artery (left and right branches)
- portal vein (left and right branches)
- common hepatic duct (left and right hepatic ducts)
- hepatic veins (left and right tributaries)
What is the bare area of the liver?
- the liver is covered with visceral peritoneum except at the bare area, located on the posterior aspect of the diaphragmatic surface
- the liver maintains contact with the diaphragm at the bare area
- the inferior vena cava lies within the bare area
What is the falciform ligament?
- connects the liver to the diaphragm and anterior abdominal wall
- broad, sheet-like, double layer of peritoneum
What is the coronary ligament?
- as the falciform ligament passes posteriorly along the diaphragmatic surface of the liver, its two layers split to become the coronary ligament
- the coronary ligament forms the borders of the bare area, and reflects onto the diaphragm
- it consists of a superior (anterior) and inferior (posterior) layer
What are the right and left triangular ligaments?
- formed at the junction of the superior and inferior layers of the coronary ligament on each side
- thicker and tougher
What is the ligamentum teres?
forms the free edge of the falciform ligament and is the remnant of the obliterated umbilical vein
What is the ligamentum venosum?
- located between the left and caudate lobes
- the remnant of the ductus venosus
What is the ligament of the inferior vena cava?
covers the inferior vena cava within the bare area
What are the fissures of the liver?
- fissure for the ligamentum teres: between the left lobe and quadrate lobe
- fissure for the ligamentum venosum: between the left lobe and the caudate lobe
- fossa for the gallbladder: between the right lobe and the quadrate lobe
- fissure for the inferior vena cava: between the right lobe and the caudate lobe
- porta hepatis: forms the crossbar of the H
What shape do the fissures of the liver form?
a capital H
What is the blood supply to the liver?
- the liver receives a dual blood supply:
1. portal vein: 75-80%, deoxygenated, nutrient-rich, and carries toxins
2. hepatic artery: 20-25%, oxygenated
What is the innervation of the liver?
autonomic and pain fibers from the hepatic plexus, which is an extension of the celiac plexus
