The minor hepatic veins: anatomy and classification

Clin Anat. 2000;13(6):416-21. doi: 10.1002/1098-2353(2000)13:6<416::AID-CA4>3.0.CO;2-H.

Abstract

A detailed description of the distribution and drainage pattern of the minor hepatic veins is presented in this paper. A classification based on the segmentation of the liver divides these veins into four main groups: 1) veins of Segment I which includes the veins of the caudate lobe and the veins of the caudate process; 2) veins of Segment VI; 3) veins of Segment VII; and 4) veins of Segment IX. A knowledge of the anatomy of the minor hepatic veins becomes more clinically valuable as the number of complex dissections of the retrohepatic areas, hepatectomies. and hepatic transplantations grow.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Hepatic Veins / anatomy & histology*
  • Humans
  • Liver / anatomy & histology
  • Liver / blood supply