SEGMENTAL ORGANIZATION OF THE PIG-LIVER - ANATOMICAL BASIS OF CONTROLLED PARTITION FOR EXPERIMENTAL GRAFTING

Segmental anatomy has been investigated on 54 pig livers by bench-top radiology and ultrasonography of hepatic and portal vessels and bile d ucts and dissection of suprahepatic veins. Eight segments were recogni zed, homologous to those of the human liver. Major variations were fou nd only of arterial distribution. The inferior vena cava invariably ra n within the parenchyma of the right lobe and close to the liver hilum ; suprahepatic veins were also entirely intraparenchymal. Therefore, t he pig liver can easily be divided into two halves, but only the right one can be used for reduced-size grafting into a recipient.