NORMAL ANATOMY OF THE LIVER. 



161 



(triangular) are two triangular folds of peri- 

 toneum which commence at each extremity of 

 the posterior border of the liver and converge 

 towards the termination of the broad ligament. 

 They are broad near the extremities of the or- 

 gan, and permit of a certain degree of motion 

 in the right and left lobes, but become narrow 

 as they approach the middle line. The two 

 layers which compose the right lateral ligament 

 separate as they pass inwards, and partly inclose 

 an oval space (11, 11) of variable size, which 

 is uncovered by peritoneum and in close con- 

 tact with the diaphragm ; the remainder of the 

 space is bounded by the division of the layers 

 of the broad and left lateral ligaments. The 

 peritoneum surrounding this space, with the 

 contained cellular tissue, which is large in quan- 

 tity and connects the posterior border of the 

 liver firmly with the right leaflet of the central 

 tendon of the diaphragm, constitutes the co- 

 ronary ligament. The inferior vena cava (14) 

 emerges from the liver at about the middle of 

 this space previously to its passage through the 

 quadrilateral opening in the tendon of the dia- 

 phragm. The left lateral ligament, near to its 

 extremity, advances a little upon the upper sur- 

 face of the left lobe. 



The round ligament, (Jig. 33, 12) (ligamen- 

 tum teres, umbilicale) is a rounded fibrous 

 cord resulting from the obliteration of the um- 

 bilical vein of the foetus. It is contained in 

 the anterior margin of the broad ligament, and 

 may be traced forwards along the linea alba to 

 the umbilicus, and backwards through the notch 

 in the anterior border of the liver and along 

 the longitudinal fissure to the posterior border, 

 where it is connected with the coats of the 

 inferior vena cava. 



Turning to the under surface of the liver we 

 have to examine certain Jissures which divide 

 this aspect of the organ into lobes ; the fissures 

 are five in number ; the longitudinal, the fis- 

 sure for the ductus venosus, the transverse, the 

 fissure for the gall-bladder, and the fissure for 

 the vena cava. 



The longitudinal fissure, (fig- 33, 4, 4) (sul- 

 cus longitudinalis, umbilicalis, horizontalis) 

 extends, as it name implies, longitudinally 

 across the concave surface of the liver from the 

 notch on the free margin of the organ to its 

 posterior border. At about two-thirds from 

 the anterior border it is met by a short fissure, 

 the transverse, which joins it at right angles. 

 The longitudinal fissure up to this point is 

 deep and is generally covered in by an arch of 

 variable breadth (pans hepatis, fig. 33, 19) 

 which connects the adjoining sides of the right 

 and left lobes ; beyond this point it is shallow 

 and takes the name of fissure for the ductus 

 venosus (5) from containing the fibrous cord 

 into which the ductus venosus is converted 

 after the cessation of fatal circulation. The 

 longitudinal fissure marks the division of the 

 liver upon its under surface into a right and 

 left lobe, and contains the fibrous cord of the 

 round ligament, which is the degenerated um- 

 bilical vein of the foetus. Opposite the ex- 

 tremity of the transverse fissure the fibrous 

 cord is often partially dilated and communi- 



VOL. III. 



Fig. 33. 



The under or concave surface of the liver, 



Nos. 1,1, the anterior border ; 2, 2, the posterior 

 border ; 3, the notch upoa the anterior border ; 

 4, 4, the longitudinal fissure containing the fibrous 

 cord of the round ligament ; 5, the fissure for the 

 ductus venosus ; 6, the transverse fissure ; 7, the 

 point of union of the three fissures, the longitudinal, 

 the transverse, and that for the ductus venosus ; 

 9, the portal vein in the transverse fissure, the 

 hepatic artery, and the trunk of the ductus commu- 

 nis choledochus ; 11, the cystic duct ; 12, the gall- 

 bladder j 13, 13, the inferior vena cava passing 

 through its fissure ; 14, the cord of the ductus 

 venosus, joining the inferior cava as that vessel 

 emerges from the substance of the liver ; 15, part 

 of the oval space on the posterior border of the 

 liver ; 16, the right lobe ; 17, the left lobe ; 18, 

 the lobulus quad ratus ; 19, the pons hepatis j 20, 

 the lobus Spigelii ; 21, the lobus caudatus. 



cates with the portal vein. This is an indica- 

 tion of the natural inosculation subsisting 

 between these two vessels during intra-uterine 

 existence. 



The transverse fissure (fig- 33, 6) (sulcus 

 transversus, sulcus venae portae) is short and 

 deep and about two inches in length ; it com- 

 mences near the middle of the under surface 

 of the right lobe and passes transversely in- 

 wards to join the longitudinal fissure. It is 

 the hilus of admission to the vessels of the 

 liver, and gives passage to the hepatic artery, 

 portal vein, and hepatic ducts, as well as to the 

 lymphatics and nerves. The transverse fissure 

 is bounded before and behind by the elevated 

 borders of the lobus quadratus and lobus 

 Spigelii. These lobes were named by the older 

 anatomists the portal eminences, and were con- 

 sidered as the pillars which flanked the en- 

 trance to this great portal of the liver. 



The fissure or rather the Jbssa for the gall- 

 bladder is the shallow angular depression which 

 lodges the biliary sac. It is broad in front and 

 generally marked by a notch upon the anterior 

 border of the liver, and narrows as it passes 

 backwards. It is situated in the right lobe 

 and runs parallel with the longitudinal fissure, 

 while posteriorly it opens into the commence- 

 ment of the transverse fissure. 



The fissure for the vena cava (fig. 33) is 

 situated in the same longitudinal line with the 

 preceding, but upon the posterior border of 

 the liver. It commences at the under surface 

 of the organ and terminates upon the upper 

 part of the posterior border at about the middle 



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