Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
Surgical Induction of Endolymphatic Hydrops by Obliteration of the Endolymphatic Duct
Published on: January 22, 2010
High dorsal drainage routes of Spiegel's lobe
T Kanamura1, G Murakami, I Hirai
1First Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University, Kashiwara, Japan.
Background/Purpose:
The venous drainage from Spiegel's lobe to the terminal portion of the hepatic veins has been described in the literature, but its morphology remains unclear.
Methods:
We examined 42 dissected liver specimens and 38 cast specimens.
Results:
In 8 of the 42 dissected liver specimens and 5 of the 38 cast specimens we found atypical but thick (over 3 mm) caudate veins that drained Spiegel's lobe and emptied into the terminal portion (along the most proximal 5-mm course) of the middle hepatic vein (MHV) or the inferior vena cava (IVC) near the MHV terminal (less than 10 mm from the MHV). We termed these the superior caudate vein. This vein ran upward between the caudate portal branches of the left and hilar bifurcation origins or through the territory of the left origin. The superior caudate vein, consistently coexisted with the typical vein(s). We also found several analogues of the superior caudate vein, such as the cranially shifted opening of the typical caudate vein and relatively thick proximal tributaries of the MHV from Spiegel's lobe.
Conclusions:
Although the superior caudate vein, if present, seemed to have a large role in the venous drainage of the lobe, its incidence seemed to be too low for clinical relevance.
More Related Videos
10:05Three-Dimensional Imaging of the Vertebral Lymphatic Vasculature and Drainage using iDISCO+ and Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy
Published on: May 22, 2020
07:37Surgical Protocols for Deep Cervical Lymphovenous Anastomosis in a Rat Model: Lymph Node and Lymphatic Vessel Anastomoses
Published on: November 14, 2025
Related Concept Videos
01:11Overview of Systemic Veins
The coronary sinus, the heart's principal vein, resides in the coronary sulcus on the heart's posterior aspect. This broad venous channel receives nearly all venous blood from the myocardium, the heart muscle. It is fed by three primary veins: the great cardiac vein, the middle...
01:19Veins of Thorax
The azygos vein, positioned just right of the midline and anterior to the vertebral column, begins at the junction of the right ascending lumbar and subcostal veins, terminating in the superior vena cava. This vein drains blood from the right side of the thoracic wall, thoracic viscera, and posterior abdominal wall.
The...
01:18Veins of the Abdomen and Pelvis
The inferior vena cava is fed by numerous smaller veins. The lumbar veins, for instance, drain the posterior abdominal wall, emptying both directly into the inferior vena cava and into the...
01:19Veins of Head and Neck
On the other hand, the vertebral veins, unlike their arterial counterparts, are not primarily responsible for brain drainage. Instead, they drain the cervical vertebrae, spinal cord, and some small...
01:16Lymphatic Vessels and Lymph Transport
This one-way system allows fluids, solutes, and even pathogens to enter but prevents their return to the intercellular spaces.