Applied anatomy of the left lateral lobe in living-related liver transplantation

Objective: To imitate the method to cut and obtain the vessels and bile ducts in left lateral lobe living-related liver transplantation. Methods: Thirty normal adult liver specimens were anatomized and 30 cast liver specimens were observed. The lengths, diameters of the portal veins, hepatic arteries and bile ducts of all livers were measured,and of which subsegmental vessels and ducts were described. Results:The portal vein of the left lateral lobe which came from the angle part; sagittal part and cystic part of the left portal vein formed two groups of branches which were to the supper segment and the inferior segment respectively; The hepatic arteries of the left lateral lobe came from the proper hepatic artery,left hepatic arter-y and middle hepatic artery. The aberrant arteries were left inferior phrenic artery, left gastric artery and right gastric artery, and form two groups of branches, which were to the supper segment and the inferior segment;The branches were the bile duct of the upper segment of the left lateral and the inferior segment of the left lateral lobe. Conclusions:The portal vein,hepatic arteries and bile ducts of the left half liver consisted of 4,5 and 6 types respectively. So there were many anatomic variations. The anatomic structure should be researched and designed well to gain a partial liver graft from a living donor before performing living-related liver transplantation. The portal veins, hepatic arteries and bile ducts should be reconstructed if necessary so as to anastomose with recipient vessels or ducts.