706 A MANUAL OF ANATOMY 



The portal or transverse fissure forms a right angle with the back 

 part of the umbilical fissure, from which it extends over the inferior 

 surface of the right lobe for a distance of about 2 inches. It is 

 bounded in front by the quadrate lobe, and behind by the caudate 

 lobe and the lower margin of Spigel's lobe. The two layers of the 

 gastro-hepatic omentum are attached to its anterior and posterior 

 lips. It serves for the passage of the following structures, in order 

 from before backwards : (i) the hepatic duct ; (2) the hepatic artery, 

 accompanied by the hepatic sympathetic plexus of nerves and 

 lymphatic vessels ; and (3) the vena portse, all surrounded by the 

 capsule of Glisson. 



The caudate lobe is the narrow portion 01 liver substance which 

 connects the right extremity of the lower margin of Spigel's lobe 

 with the adjacent part of the inferior surface of the right lobe. 

 It lies behind the portal fissure, and has the vena portae in front 

 of it, and the inferior vena cava behind it. It forms the upper 

 boundary of the foramen of Winslow. 



The lower margin of Spigel's lobe, like the caudate lobe, is 

 situated behind the portal fissure. It is divided by a notch into 

 two eminences of unequal size. The right eminence, which is the 

 smaller of the two, is continuous with the caudate lobe. The left 

 eminence is of large size, and is known as the tuber papillare. The 

 part of the inferior surface of the right lobe which lies' to the right 

 of the gall-bladder is of large extent, and presents three impressions, 

 namely, impressio colica, impressio renalis, and impressio duodenalis. 

 The impressio colica, which looks downwards, is situated in front, 

 where it lies to the right side of the body of the gall-bladder. It 

 is in contact with the hepatic flexure of the colon. The impressio 

 renalis, which is of large size, looks backwards as well as down- 

 wards, is posterior to the impressio colica, and is in contact with a 

 large part of the front of the right kidney. The impressio duode- 

 nalis is situated on the inner side of the impressio renalis, just 

 external to the neck of the gall-bladder. It is in contact with the 

 commencement of the second part of the duodenum. 



The umbilical fissure is so named because it contains the re- 

 mains of the umbilical vein, now known as the round ligament 

 of the liver. It commences at the anterior border of the organ in 

 the umbilical or interlobar notch, and extends as far back as the 

 left extremity of the portal fissure, with which it forms a right angle. 

 It separates the quadrate lobe from the inferior surface of the 

 left lobe. Sometimes the fissure is more or less completely bridged 

 over by a portion of hepatic substance, which thus forms a pons 

 hepatis. The obliterated umbilical vein terminates by joining the 

 left division of the vena portae, and posteriorly the left division 

 of the vena portae is joined by the obliterated ductus venosus. 



The right lateral surface is convex, and is in contact with the 

 diaphragm and right ribs from the seventh to the eleventh, the 

 margin of the base of the right lung and pleura here descending 

 between the ribs and diaphragm as low as the eighth rib. There is 



