Liver may present with a variety of congenital anomalies including agenesis of lobes, deformed lobes, lobar hypotrophy, presence of accessory lobes and fissures (riedel's lobe) or absence of its segments. During an ongoing project on liver anomalies in the Department of Anatomy, King George's Medical University, UP, Lucknow, 40 specimens of embalmed liver were observed of which one of the specimens displayed a rare surface variation. A bridge composed of liver tissue was extending between quadrate lobe and left lobe of the liver. The bridge was covering fissure for ligamentumteres in such a manner that the fissure was converted into a tunnel for ligamentum teres. The knowledge of such a variation can be utilized by pathologist to identify a stromal tumor or gangrene of ligamentum teres.

No abstract

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to know the intrahepatic ramication pattern of portal vein in left lobe of liver & its variations. METHODS: 25 human fresh livers were obtained after autopsy and studied by corrosion cast method. Polymeric granules of butyl butyrate were dissolved in acetone and 20% homogenous solution was made. Solution was injected into portal vein and the injected liver was placed in 10 % formal saline for 24 hours at room temperature (20°C) for polymerization of infused butyl butyrate solution. Maceration of liver tissue achieved by whole-organ immersion in 1.8 N KOH solution at 68°C for 24 hrs. Each cast thus obtained was preserved in glycerin and details were studied. RESULTS: The length of the transverse part of Left portal vein (LPV) varies from 1.5 -3.7 cm (2.6 cm) while the length of umbilical part of LPV varied from 0.5 – 1.5 cm. (1.1cm.) and total length of LPV varies from 2.0 cm.-4.8cm.(3.7cm). Ramication of Left Portal Vein was described on the basis of its umbilical part. Two type of pattern observed Type I (Umbilical Part Turned Inferiorly) 60 % cases & Type II (Umbilical Part Turned Superiorly). For segment II - Cranio- lateral (CAL) branch originated from the convexity of the curved portion of the umbilical part 84 % cases while in 16 % it has originated from the transverse part of the LPV. Segment III- Caudo- lateral branch (CRL) originated from the convexity of the curved portion of the umbilical part of LPV in all the cases. Segment IV- From the concavity, Inferio – medial branch ran downward & medially while superior- medial branch ran superiorly & medially to supply the lower & upper part of segment IV respectively. The both superio- medial & inferio-medial branches were present in 13 of 25 cases (52 %), while only superior -medial branches were present in 16 of 25 cases (64 %) cases & only inferio-medial 21 of 25 cases (84%) in cases. In 5 of 25 cases (20 %), a common trunk has originated from the concavity of curved portion of the umbilical part then it divided in to superior-medial & inferio-medial branches to supply the segment IV. The number of portal branches to the caudate lobe (segment I) varied from 1 to 4 branches: most commonly from LPV (52 %), then portal vein (16%) & then right portal vein12% cases. At least one of these branches was always originated from LPV (100%). The number of the branches to supply the caudate lode was 2 as it observed in 56 %, while 3 braches in 16 % cases & 4 branches were present in only 8% of the cases. The ndings of present CONCLUSIONS: study on hepatic vasculature have immense importance in the eld of hepato-biliary surgeries.