THE ABDOMEN 



707 



no well-marked line of demarcation between this surface and the 

 posterior, superior, and anterior surfaces, but it is distinctly 

 separated from the inferior surface by the right portion of the 

 anterior border. 



The posterior surface presents a concavity corresponding with the 

 convexity of the bodies of the tenth and eleventh thoracic vertebrae. 

 It is related to the diaphragm, and its component parts from left to 

 right are as follows : the posterior part of the left lobe ; the venosal 

 fissure for the ductus venosus ; Spigel's lobe, except its lower 

 margin ; the caval fossa for the inferior vena cava ; and the un- 

 covered area of the right lobe. 



The posterior part of the left lobe at its left extremity is a mere 

 margin, but elsewhere it presents a distinct surface marked by 



Falciform Ligament 



Posterior Area of Left Lobe 



CEsophageal Iinpreision ' 



Ligamentum Ductus Venosi ' 



(in Venosal Fossa) _/ 



Lobus SpigeliJ 



I \ Bare Area of Right Lobe 



• Rigbt Suprarenal Impression 



Inferior Vena Ca\-a (in Caval Fossa) 



Fig. 302. — The Posterior Surface of the Liver. 



the a'sophageal groove, which is in contact with the right side of the 

 lower end of the oesophagus. 



The venosal fissure lies vertically on the posterior surface, having 

 Spigel's lobe on its right, and the oesophageal groove of the left lobe 

 on its left. Inferiorly it meets the left extremity of the portal 

 fissure and the posterior extremity of the umbilical fissure, and 

 superiorly it meets the caval fossa. It lodges the obliterated 

 ductus venosus, which is connected below with the left division of 

 the vena portse, and above with the inferior vena cava. The venosal 

 and umbilical fissures separate the right and left lobes on the 

 posterior and inferior surfaces respectively. 



Spigel's lobe, with the exception of its lower margin, lies vertically 

 on the posterior surface. It is bovmded on the right side by the 

 caval fossa, on the left by the venosal fissure, and inferiorly bj' the 

 portal or transverse fissure. It looks backwards and a little 



