162 



NORMAL ANATOMY OF THE LIVER. 



of the oval space inclosed by the coronary liga- 

 ment. This fissure is always very deep and 

 surrounds the vena cava for two-thirds or three- 

 fourths of its cylinder. Sometimes it is con- 

 verted into a canal by a thin layer which is 

 stretched across it from the lobus Spigelii to 

 the contiguous border of the right lobe. The 

 hepatic veins pour their blood into this portion 

 of the vena cava. 



These five fissures taken collectively, namely, 

 the longitudinal fissure and fissure for the 

 ductus venosus on the left, the fissures for the 

 gall-bladder and vena cava on the right, with 

 the transverse fissure passing between them, are 

 represented by Meckel as resembling the letter 

 H, whereof the transverse bar is placed nearer 

 to the posterior than to the anterior extremity. 

 Viewing them in this way the two anterior 

 branches are, the longitudinal fissure on the 

 left and the fossa for the gall-bladder on the 

 right ; and the two posterior are, the fissure 

 for the ductus venosus on the left, and the 

 fissure for the vena cava on the right. 



The existence of these five fissures upon 

 the under surface of the liver causes its division 

 into as many portions, which are named lobes, 

 viz. the right, the left, the lobus quadratus, 

 the lobus Spigelii, and the lobus caudatus. 



The right lobe, (Jig. 32, 1, jig. 33, 

 16,) (lobus major) is the largest division 

 of the liver, and forms the whole of the bulky 

 right extremity of the organ. It is convex 

 upon its upper surface and irregularly con- 

 cave below ; at its right extremity and be- 

 hind it is thick and rounded, and thin and 

 sharp in front. It is separated from the left 

 lobe on its convex surface by the broad liga- 

 ment ; beneath by the longitudinal fissure and 

 fissure for the ductus venosus, and in front by 

 the notch on the free margin of the liver. The 

 transverse fissure and the fissures for the vena 

 cava and gall-bladder are situated on the under 

 surface of this lobe and serve to limit the 

 boundaries of the three minor lobes ; the lobus 

 quadratus, Spigelii, and caudatus. Upon 

 this surface it is marked by three depressions, 

 one in front, of large size, for the right ex- 

 tremity of the transverse colon, and two behind, 

 one for the right supra-renal capsule and ano- 

 ther for the right kidney. 



The left lobe (jig. 32, 2, fg. 33, 17,) 

 (lobus minor) is four or six times smaller than 

 the right; flattened in form, and thinned to- 

 wards its circumference into a sharp margin. 

 It is divided from the right lobe by the broad 

 ligament above, by the notch in the anterior 

 margin of the liver in front, and by the longi- 

 tudinal fissure and fissure for the ductus ve- 

 nosus below. Superiorly it is convex and in 

 relation with the diaphragm, to which it is con- 

 nected by the left lateral ligament, and infe- 

 riorly it is concave, and presents a broad and 

 shallow depression which rests upon the ante- 

 rior surface of the stomach. By its extremity 

 it sometimes touches the spleen, and by its 

 posterior border corresponds with the termina- 

 tion of the oesophagus and with the right pneu- 

 mogastric nerve. 

 The lobus quadratic (Jig. 33, 18,) (ante- 



rior portal eminence) is a quadrilateral and 

 slightly elevated division situated upon the 

 under surface of the right lobe near to the 

 middle line of the liver. It is bounded ante- 

 riorly by the free margin of the organ, poste- 

 riorly by the transverse fissure, to the left by 

 the longitudinal fissure, and on the right by the 

 fossa for the gall-bladder. 



The lobus Spigelii (Jig. 33, 20,) (posterior 

 portal eminence) is a prominent conical lobe, 

 smaller than the preceding, and situated near 

 the posterior border of the liver, behind the 

 two layers of the lesser omentum. Its base is 

 triangular, and bounded in front by the trans- 

 verse fissure ; on the left side by the fissure for 

 the ductus venosus, and on the right by the 

 fissure for the vena cava and lobus caudatus, 

 which last connects it with the under surface of 

 the right lobe. By its anterior border it is in 

 relation with the portal vein, by its left border 

 with the fibrous cord of the ductus venosus, 

 and by the right with the vena cava. Its pos- 

 terior extremity is received into the angle of 

 communication between the fibrous cord of the 

 ductus venosus and the vena cava. 



The lobus caudatus (Jig. 33, 21,) is a tail- 

 like appendage to the lobus Spigelii. It is ex- 

 tremely diversified in form, being sometimes 

 well developed and a distinct lobe; at other 

 times a mere vestige recognisible only to the 

 eye of the experienced anatomist. Sometimes 

 it is a slight ridge, merging into the surface of 

 the liver on either side, and at other times is 

 marked by a fissure on one side or even on 

 both. Ordinarily it is an angular projection 

 two or three inches in length, commencing 

 by a narrow isthmus from the lobus Spigelii, 

 passing obliquely outwards and forwards by 

 the side of the gall-bladder, and subsiding at 

 its extremity into the surface of the right lobe. 

 The depression on the under surface of the 

 right lobe, in front of this process, is for the re- 

 ception of the curve of the ascending colon, 

 and the posterior depressions for the right supra- 

 renal capsule and right kidney. 



The coverings of the liver are twofold, a serous 

 investment, which is obtained from the perito- 

 neum, and a proper fibrous capsule derived 

 from the capsule of Glisson. The peritoneum 

 encloses the whole of the liver with the excep- 

 tion of that part of the posterior border which 

 constitutes the oval space (jig. 32, 11, jig. 

 33, 15,) and is surrounded by the coronary 

 ligament, of the fossa for the gall-bladder, the 

 fissure for the vena cava, and the transverse 

 fissure. The proper capsule is most apparent 

 upon those parts of the organ which are left 

 uncovered by the peritoneum, particularly on 

 the oval space upon its posterior border. 



The color of the liver varies considerably, 

 both with the period of life and with the 

 greater or smaller proportion of blood or bile 

 contained within its vessels. Thus in infancy 

 it presents a light red colour, which deepens 

 into a reddish brown in the adult, and increases 

 in depth of shade with the age of the subject. 

 If the individual have died from haemorrhage, 

 the liver appears bleached and presents a yel- 

 lowish grey tint ; if from general congestion, 



