Anatomy
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Measuring approximately 8 cm (3 inches) in adults, the hepatic portal vein is located in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, originating behind the neck of the pancreas.
In most individuals, the hepatic portal vein is formed by the union of the superior mesenteric vein and the splenic vein. For this reason, the hepatic portal vein is occasionally called the splenic-mesenteric confluence. Occasionally, the hepatic portal vein also directly communicates with the inferior mesenteric vein, although this is highly variable. Other tributaries of the hepatic portal vein include the cystic and gastric veins.
Immediately before reaching the liver, the portal vein divides into right and left. It ramifies further, forming smaller venous branches and ultimately portal venules. Each portal venule courses alongside a hepatic arteriole and the two vessels form the vascular components of the portal triad. These vessels ultimately empty into the hepatic sinusoids to supply blood to the liver.
Read more about this topic: Hepatic Portal Vein
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