620 



THE BLOOD-VASCULAR SYSTEM. 



of the duodenum and pancreas, and terminates in the splenic vein. Its hremor- 

 rhoidal branches inosculate with those of the internal iliac, and thus establish a 

 communication between the portal and the general venous system. 1 



The gastric veins are two in number : one, a small vein, corresponds to the 

 pyloric branch of the hepatic artery ; the other, considerably larger, corresponds 

 to the gastric artery. The former (pyloric, Walsham) runs along the lesser cur- 



FIG. 336. Portal vein and its branches. 



NOTE. In this diagram the right gastro-epiploic vein opens into the splenic vein ; generally 

 it empties itself into the superior mesenteric, close to its termination. 



vature of the stomach toward the pyloric end, receives branches from the pylorus 

 and duodenum, and ends in the vena portse. The latter (coronary, Walsham) 

 begins near the pylorus, runs along the lesser curvature of the stomach toward the 



1 Besides this anastomosis between the portal vein and the branches of the vena cava, other 

 anastomoses between the portal and systemic veins are formed by the communication between the 

 gastric veins and the resophageal veins, which empty themselves into the vena azygos minor ; between 

 the left renal vein and the veins of the intestines, especially of the colon and duodenum; between the 

 veins of the round ligament of the liver and the portal veins ; and between the superficial branches 

 of the portal veins of the liver and the phrenic veins, as pointed out by Mr. Kiernan. (See Physio- 

 logical Anatomy, by Todd and Bowman, 1859, vol. ii. p. 348.) 



