Short thick vein formed by the union of the superior mesenteric vein and the splenic vein
This article is about the vein connected to the liver. For veins connecting two systems of capillary beds, see portal venous system.
Portal vein
The portal vein (in light blue) and its tributaries. It is formed by the superior mesenteric vein, inferior mesenteric vein, and splenic vein. Lienal vein is an old term for splenic vein.
Details
System
Hepatic portal system
Drains from
Gastrointestinal tract, spleen, pancreas
Source
splenic vein, superior mesenteric vein, inferior mesenteric vein, pancreatic vein
Drains to
liver sinusoid
Identifiers
Latin
vena portae hepatis
MeSH
D011169
TA98
A12.3.12.001
TA2
5092
FMA
50735
Anatomical terminology
[edit on Wikidata]
The portal vein or hepatic portal vein (HPV) is a blood vessel that carries blood from the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen to the liver. This blood contains nutrients and toxins extracted from digested contents. Approximately 75% of total liver blood flow is through the portal vein, with the remainder coming from the hepatic artery proper. The blood leaves the liver to the heart in the hepatic veins.
The portal vein is not a true vein, because it conducts blood to capillary beds in the liver and not directly to the heart. It is a major component of the hepatic portal system, one of three portal venous systems in the human body; the others being the hypophyseal and renal portal systems.
The portal vein is usually formed by the confluence of the superior mesenteric, splenic veins, inferior mesenteric, left, right gastric veins and the pancreatic vein.
Conditions involving the portal vein cause considerable illness and death. An important example of such a condition is elevated blood pressure in the portal vein. This condition, called portal hypertension, is a major complication of cirrhosis. In abdominal obesity fats, inflammatory cytokines and other toxic substances are transported by the portal vein from visceral fat into the liver, leading to hepatic insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.[1][2]
^Item F, Konrad D (2012). "Visceral fat and metabolic inflammation: the portal theory revisited" (PDF). Obesity Reviews. 13 (Suppl 2): 30–39. doi:10.1111/j.1467-789X.2012.01035.x. PMID 23107257. S2CID 25169877.
^Dhawan D, Sharma S (2020). "Abdominal Obesity, Adipokines and Non-communicable Diseases". The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 203: 105737. doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2020.105737. PMC 7431389. PMID 32818561.
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Portalvein thrombosis (PVT) is a vascular disease of the liver that occurs when a blood clot occurs in the hepatic portalvein, which can lead to increased...
the hepatic portal system or portal venous system is the system of veins comprising the portalvein and its tributaries. The other portal venous systems...
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Veins (/veɪn/) are blood vessels in the circulatory system of humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated...
Portalvein embolization (PVE) is a preoperative procedure performed in interventional radiology to initiate hypertrophy of the anticipated future liver...
circulatory system of vertebrates, a portal venous system occurs when a capillary bed pools into another capillary bed through veins, without first going through...
artery and the portalvein. The hepatic artery carries oxygen-rich blood from the aorta via the celiac trunk, whereas the portalvein carries blood rich...
hypertension is present at portal pressures greater than 10 mmHg. The portalvein and its branches supply most of the blood and nutrients from the intestine...
renal portal vein in mammals. In lungfish and tetrapods, the renal portalvein is joined by a vein traveling upwards from the abdominal vein, which can...
intervention by the use of shunts. Portalvein thrombosis affects the hepatic portalvein, which can lead to portal hypertension and reduction of the blood...
the hepatic veins are the veins that drain venous blood from the liver into the inferior vena cava (as opposed to the hepatic portalvein which conveys...
superior mesenteric vein combines with the splenic vein to form the portalvein that carries blood to the liver. The superior mesenteric vein lies to the right...
goes on to form the portalvein with the superior mesenteric vein (SMV). The inferior mesenteric vein merges with the splenic vein, posterior to the middle...
into veins leading back to the heart. Portalveins are a slight exception to this. In humans, the only significant example is the hepatic portalvein which...
mesenteric vein) via the inferior mesenteric vein, which drains in the splenic vein shortly before the origin of the hepatic portalvein. The splenic vein ends...
Portal venous pressure is the blood pressure in the hepatic portalvein, and is normally between 5-10 mmHg. Raised portal venous pressure is termed portal...
paraumbilical collateral veins due to portal hypertension. Blood from the portal venous system may be forced through the paraumbilical veins and ultimately to...
establishes communication between the inflow portalvein and the outflow hepatic vein. It is used to treat portal hypertension (which is often due to liver...
liver tissue, consisting of a portal triad, hepatocytes arranged in linear cords between a capillary network, and a central vein. Lobules are different from...
umbilical vein degenerates to fibrous tissue. The left portalvein (which gives branches to paraumbilical veins) is connected to the round ligament (ligamentum...
Pylephlebitis is an uncommon thrombophlebitis of the portalvein or any of its branches (i.e. a portalvein thrombosis) that is caused by infection. It is usually...
absorbed by the digestive system and enters the hepatic portal system. It is carried through the portalvein into the liver before it reaches the rest of the...
right gastric vein (pyloric vein) drains blood from the lesser curvature of the stomach into the hepatic portalvein. It is part of the portal circulation...
Varicose veins, also known as varicoses, are a medical condition in which superficial veins become enlarged and twisted. These veins typically develop...
venomous snakes in place of hair. It is also a sign of portal hypertension. When the portalvein, that transfers the blood from the gastrointestinal tract...
The subclavian vein is a paired large vein, one on either side of the body, that is responsible for draining blood from the upper extremities, allowing...
circulation. The pathway of fetal umbilical venous flow is umbilical vein to left portalvein to ductus venosus to inferior vena cava and eventually the right...
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