E38 Principles of Liver Surgery

Abstract

The segmental nature of the liver is not immediately obvious from the surface; indeed what looks like a large right lobe and smaller left lobe, defined by the falciform ligament, is somewhat misleading. Knowledge of the various divisions is the basis for liver resection. The key division is between right and left and the principle plane (of Cantlie) extends from gallbladder bed to a point slightly to the left of the hepatic vein confluence.

Table 1 lists the key facts for the segments thereafter.

Each half of the liver is supplied by right and left branches of the portal vein and hepatic artery (>90 % from celiac axis). Aside from the caudate (which is drained by small veins directly into intrahepatic cava); venous drainage occurs via three veins (left, right and middle).