[Surgical anatomy of the right portal vein]

To study the features of surgical anatomy of intrahepatic segments of right portal vein.

The results of 260 histological examinations including sectional (n=60) and clinical (n=200) surveys were analyzed. Anatomical analysis implied assessment of organometric characteristics including liver weight, length, width and thickness of right and left lobes, division angles of portal vein, the number of branches, length and diameter of the vessels. Clinical examination was based on analysis of splenoportograms and X-ray direct portal venograms. Patients were divided into three groups according to their body type (dolichomorphic, mesomorphic, brachymorphic).

Anatomical and clinical surveys confirmed the differences in metric characteristics of portal vascular system depending on the body type. There was medial angulation of the median fissure under 70-85º (78.0±3.4°) in dolichomorphic and mesomorphic patients. Right angle between the median fissure and lower liver surface was observed in brachymorphic subjects. Portal vein division into the branches of the first order to the right of the median fissure was found in 49 cases. Median or left-sided division was noted in other cases. In most cases (n=219), right portal vein dichotomously divided into the right paramedian and right lateral branches. Portal trifurcation was detected in 2.3% of cases, medial translocation of the right paramedian branch - in 1.1% of cases.

Right liver lobe surgery may be associated with certain technical difficulties due to variable anatomy of the right portal vein. Anatomical and atypical liver resections should be preceded by preoperative identification of individual anatomical variations of the main liver vessels. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography is optimal method for this purpose.