TEE POSTERIOR VENA CAVA. 



707 



Fig. 390. 



right gastro-omental, receiving on its track gastric, splenic, and omental hranches^ 

 and joining the posterior mesenteric after passing above the left extremity of 

 the pancreas, and obtaining the posterior gastric vein (Fig. 390, 16). 



2. collateeal affluents of the 

 Vena Port^. 



A. Right Gastro-omental or Gas- 

 tro-epiploic Vein (Fig. 390, 15).— We 

 already know that the hepatic artery, be- 

 fore entering the liver, gives off pancreatic 

 branches, a pyloric branch, and a gastro- 

 omental division, which in turn detaches 

 a small duodenal artery ; the vessel de- 

 scribed as the right gastro-omental vein 

 corresponds, in every respect, to all these 

 collateral ramifications of the hepatic artery. 



This vein, then, has its origin from 

 around the great curvature of the stomach, 

 but at an undetermined point, as it forms 

 an anastomotic arch with the left gastro- 

 omental vein. Posteriorly, it crosses the 

 dilatation at the origin of the duodenum, 

 receives the pyloric, duodenal, a.nd pancreatic 

 veins, and opens into the vena portJB after 

 traversing the pancreas. 



B. Anterior Gastric Vein. — Satel- 

 lite of the homonymous artery, this vein 

 joins the vena portae separately, after the 

 entrance of that vessel into the great pos- 

 terior fissure of the liver, and when very 

 near the terminal extremity of that fissure.^ 



Renal Veins. 



Two in number, like the arteries they 

 accompany, these veins are distinguished 

 by their enormous volume and the thin- 

 ness of their walls. The left, having to 

 cross the abdominal aorta before entering 

 the vena cava, is longer than the right. 

 They receive the majority of the veins from 

 the supra-renal capsules (Fig. 389, 10). 



Spermatic Veins. 



These vessels correspond to the sper- 

 matic arteries in the male, and the utero- 

 ovarian arteries in the female. 



the vena portie and its roots (partly 

 theoretical). 



1, Trunk of the vena poi-tse ; 2, its origin; 

 3, veins of the small intestine ; 4, ilio- 

 caecal vein ; 5, external caecal vein ; 6, 

 internal coecal vein; 7, anterior mesenteric 

 vein ; 8, 9, colic veins forming the roots 

 of that vessel ; 10, collateral vein some- 

 times continuing the left colic, and 

 joining the anterior mesenteric vein near 

 its origin ; 11, common confluent of the 

 posterior mesenteric and splenic veins ; 

 12, posterior mesenteric vein and its 

 collateral branches; 13, splenic vein; 14, 

 left gastro-omental vein ; 15, right ditto; 

 16, posterior gastric vein, a. Stomach ; b, 

 duodenum; c, small intestine; d, caecum; 

 e, large colon; /, floating colon; g, rectum; 

 h, portion of the great omentum ; i, 

 spleen ; j, mesentery ; k, colic mesentery. 



• Among these collateral affluents of the vena portse, it is necessary to mention the biliary 

 veins which Claude Bernard has injected in the Dog. These vessels, whicli correspond to the 

 hepatic artery, pass from the posterior surface of the liver, and open into the portal vein at a 

 short distance from th;it j;l,ind. 



