516 LIGAMENTS OF THE LIVER. 



Ligaments. The liver is retained in its place by five ligaments ; four 

 of which are duplicatures of the peritoneum, and are situated on the con- 

 vex surface of the organ ; the fifth is a fibrous cord which passes through 

 a fissure in its under surface, from the umbilicus to the inferior vena cava. 

 They are the 



Longitudinal, Coronary, 



Two lateral, Round. 



The Longitudinal ligament (broad, ligamentum suspensorium hepatis 

 is an antero-posterior fold of peritoneum, extending from the notch on th 

 anterior margin of the liver to its posterior border. Between its two layers 

 in the anterior and free margin, is the round ligament. 



The Lateral ligaments are formed by the two layers of peritoneum, which 

 pass from the under surface of the diaphragm to the posterior border of the 

 liver ; they correspond T vith its lateral lobes. 



Fig. 226.* 



The Coronary ligament is formed by the separation of the two layers 

 forming the lateral ligaments near their point of convergence. The poste- 

 rior layer is continued unbroken from one lateral ligament into the other ; 

 but the anterior quits the posterior at each side, and is continuous with the 

 corresponding layer of the longitudinal ligament. In this w r ay a large oval 

 surface on the posterior border of the liver is left uncovered by peritoneum, 

 and is connected to the diaphragm by areolo-fibrous tissue. This space 

 is formed principally by the right lateral ligament, and is pierced near its 

 left extremity by the inferior vena cava, previously to the passage of that 

 vessel through the tendinous opening in the diaphragm. 



The Round ligament is a fibrous cord resulting from the obliteration of 

 the umbilical vein, and situated between the two layers of peritoneum in 

 the anterior border of the longitudinal ligament. It may be traced from 

 the umbilicus, along the longitudinal fissure of the under surface of the 

 liver to the inferior vena cava, to which it is connected. 



Fissures. The under surface of the liver is marked by five fissures, 



The upper surface of the liver. 1. The right lobe. 2. The left lobe. 3. The ante- 

 rior or free border. 4. The posterior or rounded border. 5. The broad ligament. 6. 

 The round ligament. 7, 7. The two lateral ligaments. 8. The space left uncovered by 

 the peritoneum, and surrounded by the coronary ligament. 9. The inferior vena cava. 

 10. The point of the lobus Spigelii. 3. The fundus of the gall-bladder seen projecting 

 beyond the anterior border of the right lobe. 



