HEPATIC PORTAL SYSTEM

1. This chart is meant simply as an aid for visualizing the flow of blood in the Hepatic Portal System. It is not absolutely complete, nor are the structures located on the paper in a way which would indicate their correct positions within the body. HEPATIC PORTAL SYSTEM INFERIOR VENA CAVA HEPATIC VEINS GALLBLADDER LIVER Lesser Curvature LEFT GASTRIC VEINS Greater Curvature CYSTIC VEIN HEPATIC PORTAL VEINS RIGHT GASTRIC VEINS Transverse Colon Ascending Colon Large Intestine LEFT GASTROEPIPLOIC VEIN SPLENIC VEIN • Large Intestine • Descending • Sigmoid-Colon • Rectum PANCREATIC VEIN INFERIOR MESENTERIC VEIN SUPERIOR MESENTERIC VEIN RIGHT GASTROEPIPLOIC VEIN

2. BRANCHES OF THE PORTAL SYSTEM FORM A NETWORK CONNECTING THE MANY COMPONENTS OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM TO THE LIVER • NUTRIENTS EXTRACTED DURING THE DIGESTIVE PROCESS ARE DELIVERED BACK TO THE LIVER VIA NUMEROUS BLOOD VESSELS THAT CONVERGE AT THE PORTAL VEIN • BLOOD CARRYING NUTRIENTS AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF WASTE PRODUCTS AND TOXINS ENTERS THE VENOUS SYSTEM SERVING THE INTESTINAL AREA, THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF WHICH ARE THE SUPERIOR AND INFERIOR MESENTERIC VEINS • INFERIOR MESENTERIC VEIN IS JOINED BY THE SPLENIC VEIN, WHICH DRAINS ACCESSORY DIGESTIVE ORGANS OF THE PANCREAS AND SPLEEN, AS WELL AS PART OF THE STOMACH • SUPERIOR MESENTERIC VEIN AND SPLENIC VEIN JOIN TO FORM THE PORTAL VEIN • THE GASTRIC VEIN, WHICH DRAINS THE UPPER PART OF THE STOMACH, AND THE CYSTIC VEINS, WHICH DRAIN THE GALLBLADDER, ALSO DRAIN INTO THE PORTAL VEIN • ONCE BLOOD DELIVERED BY THE HEPATIC PORTAL SYSTEM HAS FILTERED THROUGH THE LIVER, IT IS RETURNED TO THE HEART VIA THE INFERIOR VENA CAVA