It is important to investigate the types of branching of the portal vein in the human caudate lobe when radical operation is performed in patients with such conditions as cholangiocarcinoma in hepatic hilum.
Thirty-six caudate lobes were dissected. Many types of portal vein branching (from 1 PV to 6 PV but not 5 PV) were observed. The total number of branches was 74 (2.0/caudate lobe). Many caudate portal branches ramified from the portal trunc, bifurcation and left portal vein, but no caudate branches from the right portal vein were observed. Spiegel's lobe is a main part of the caudate lobe and its portal branches also ramified from the portal trunc, bifurcation and left portal vein but not from the right portal vein. The portal branches of the paracaval portion ramified from every side of the portal vein. The portal branches of the caudate process portion mainly ramified from the right portal vein, and its independent portal branches were recognized in 3 or more portal vein types of the caudate lobe.
The results showed that the portal branches of the caudate lobe have a certain regularity in types of branching.