title: Applied anatomy of small branches of the portal vein in transverse groove of hepatic hilum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to provide the morphological details on small branches of the portal vein in transverse groove of hepatic hilum.
  
  
  METHODS
  According to the surgery significance, the small branches of portal vein in transverse groove of hepatic hilum were named as "Short hepatic portal veins (SHPVs)". SHPVs were minutely dissected in 30 adult cadaveric livers. The number, diameter, length, origin points, and entering liver sites of SHPVs were explored and measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 181 SHPVs in 30 liver specimens, including 46% (83/181) from the left portal vein, 31% (56/181) from the bifurcation, and 23% (42/181) from the right portal vein. At the entering liver sites of SHPVs, 22% (40/181) supplied for segment IV, 9% (17/181) for segment V, 4% (7/181) for segment VI, 23% (41/181) for segment VII, and 42% (76/181) for segment I (caudate lobe). There were 6.0 ± 2.4 branches per liver specimen with range 3-12. The mean diameter of SHPVs was 2.25 ± 0.89 mm. The average length of SHPVs was 4.86 ± 2.12 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SHPVs widely existed in each liver specimen. The detailed anatomical study of SHPVs could be useful to avoid damaging the short portal branches during hepatic operations, such as isolated or combined caudate lobectomy.
authors.affiliation: Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Changhai Road 225, Shanghai, 200438, China.
authors.forename: Pei-ning
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Wei-feng
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Xin-wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chuan-sen
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao-qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001837:Body Weights and Measures / Q000379:methods; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D055815:Young Adult