THE LIVER 



1189 





The superior surface (fades superior) (Fig. 1085) comprises a part of both lobes, 

 and, as a whole, is convex, and fits under the vault of the diaphragm which in front 

 separates it on the right from the sixth to the tenth ribs and their cartilages, and 

 on the left from the seventh and eighth costal cartilages. Its middle part lies 

 behind the xiphoid process, and, in the angle between the diverging rib cartilage 

 of opposite sides, is in contact with the abdominal wall. Behind this the diaphragm 

 separates the liver from the lower part of the lungs, and pleurse, the heart and peri- 

 cardium and the right costal arches from the seventh to the eleventh inclusive. It 

 is completely covered by peritoneum except along the line of attachment of the 

 falciform ligament. 



Gall-bladder 



Sight triangular 

 ligament 



Fia. 1085. The superior surface of the liver. (From model by His.) 



The inferior surf ace (fades inferior; visceral surface} (Figs. 1086, 1087), is uneven, 

 concave, directed downward, backward, and to the left, and is in relation with 

 the stomach and duodenum, the right colic flexure, and the right kidney and supra- 

 renal gland. The surface is almost completely invested by peritoneum; the only 

 parts devoid of this covering are where the gall-bladder is attached to the liver, 

 and at the porta hepatis w r here the two layers of the lesser omentum are separated 

 from each other by the bloodvessels and ducts of the liver. The inferior surface 

 of the left lobe presents behind and to the left the gastric impression, moulded 

 over the antero-superior surface of the stomach, and to the right of this a rounded 

 eminence, the tuber omentale, which fits into the concavity of the lesser curvature 

 of the stomach and lies in front of the anterior layer of the lesser omentum. The 

 under surface of the right lobe is divided into two unequal portions by the fossa 

 for the gall-bladder; the portion to the left, the smaller of the two, is the quadrate 

 lobe, and is in relation with the pyloric end of the stomach, the superior portion 

 of the duodenum, and the transverse colon. The portion of the under surface of 

 the right lobe to the right of the fossa for the gall-bladder presents two impressions, 

 one situated behind the other, and separated by a ridge. The anterior of these 

 two impressions, the colic impression, is shallow and is produced by the right colic 

 flexure; the posterior, the renal impression, is deeper and is occupied by the upper 

 part of the right kidney and lower part of the right suprarenal gland. Medial 

 to the renal impression is a third and slightly marked impression, lying between it 

 and the neck of the gall-bladder. This is caused by the descending portion of the 





