Hepatic portal vein (Latin)

An overview of the upper portion of the abdomen with the liver reflected and parts of the stomach, pancreas and small intestine removed. The vena portae hepatis is formed by the union of the vena mesenterica superior and vena splenica just posterior to the collum pancreatis. The vena mesenterica superior receives venous blood from the small intestine, cecum, ascending colon and transverse colon through its tributaries. The vena splenica can be found along the posterior length of the pancreas and receives several tributaries which drain the spleen, parts of the stomach and pancreas. The vena portae hepatis ascends obliquely alongside the arteria hepatica propria within the ligamentum hepatoduodenale to reach the liver before bifurcating into left and right branches.