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Hepatic vein

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]


Overview

Overview

In human anatomy, the hepatic veins are the blood vessels that drain de-oxygenated blood from the liver and blood cleaned by the liver (from the stomach, pancreas, small intestine and colon) into the inferior vena cava.

They arise from the substance of the liver, more specifically the central vein of the liver lobule.

None of the hepatic veins have valves.

Groups

Groups

They can be differentiated into two groups, the upper group and lower group.

  • The upper group typically arises from the posterior aspect of the liver, are three in number, and drain the quadrate lobe and left lobe.
  • The lower group arise from the right lobe and caudate lobe, are variable in number, and are typically smaller than those in the upper group.
Pathology

Pathology

Occlusion of the hepatic veins is known as Budd-Chiari syndrome.

External links

Images of the hepatic veins

Additional images

Additional images

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