[Portal vein: variations of its branches (about 32 dissections)].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to precise the variations of portal vein branches and also to elucidate anatomic basis of partial hepatectomy.


METHODS
Thirty-two post-mortem specimens, with ages ranged from one day to sixty-five years in both two sexes, were dissected. Latex and Rhodopas were used for visualizing and drawing the portal vein course and its branches.


RESULTS
Nine types of different variations of portal vein branches were observed. Most of cases were similar to those previously reported in literature. But four types must be especially noted, because they were not available in literature.


CONCLUSIONS
this study updates the anatomy of portal vein and its tributaries, and also finds out four types of distribution which must be known by surgeons with regards to partial hepatectomy.
Atrevi
N
N
Laboratoire d'Anatomie Générale et d'Organogenèse, Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences Médicales, Universite de Cocody, 01 BP V 166 Abidjan, République de Côte d'Ivoire. atrevinicolas@yahoo.fr
Kokoua
A
A
Yangni-Angate
H
H
Kassanyou
S
S
Agossou-Voyeme
A K
AK
Santos
K A N
KA
Ouattara
D
D
N'Guessan
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002102:Cadaver; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000033:anatomy & histology*