88 LOBES AND FISSURES OF THE LIVER. 



fissure and the ligament divide the liver into its two great lobes, 

 the Right and Left. 



Another great fissure, called the transverse or principal, 

 commences on the right lobe and extends to the left, crossing 

 the first mentioned fissure at right angles, and extending a very 

 short distance beyond it. It is very deep and rather nearer to 

 the posterior than the anterior edge of the liver. In this fissure, 

 near to its right extremity, the great vein, called vena portarum, 

 and the hepatic artery enter, and the excretory duct of the 

 liver, commonly called the hepatic duct, comes out. About the 

 middle of the fissure are two prominences, one on each side ; 

 these were called the portae, or gates of the liver, and hence the 

 great vein was called vena portarum. This vein has two very 

 large rectangular branches, which constitute what is called the 

 sinus of the vena portarum ; and they occupy the principal 

 extent of the fissure. 



The liver is in close contact with the vena cava behind ; and 

 there is either a groove in it for the passage of the vein, or this 

 great vessel is completely enclosed by it. There is also 

 an excavation on the lower surface of the liver, which is occu- 

 pied by a portion of the gall-bladder. 



Besides the great lobes above-mentioned, there are also two 

 or three prominent parts, in the concave surface, which are 

 denominated lobes. One of these, called Lohulus Spigelii, is 

 oblong, with two sides, and an angle continued along its whole 

 length, which extends from the transverse fissure on the posterior 

 margin of the liver. It is situated between the posterior part 

 of the transverse fissure, or ductus venosus, and the vena 

 cava. 



The anterior extremity of this lobe, which forms one of the 

 margins of the transverse fissure, is somewhat bifurcated, and 

 has been called lobulus caudatus. The largest portion of the 

 bifurcated end forms a process like a papilla, and is one of the 

 portae. 



Between the umbilical fissure and the depression for the 

 gall-bladder is a protuberant space, which varies from an inch 

 and a quarter to two inches in breadth. This has also been 



