ABSTRACT
Thorough knowledge of the variation of intrahepatic course of the portal vein is essential for pre-operative assessment of various hepatic surgeries like hepatectomy and live donor liver transplant. This study aims to determine the variation in the branching pattern of the portal vein in South Indian population. The branching pattern of the portal vein was studied by 3D reconstruction of 100 contrast-enhanced computed tomography images and in 15 formalin fixed livers using modified luminal casting technique. Radiologically, the normal portal vein anatomy was seen in 89%. The most common variation was trifurcation of portal vein (5%). A rare anomaly was noted in one case where the left portal vein gave a branch to segment VII. Using the modified luminal casting technique all the 15 specimens displayed Type I portal vein anatomy. The most common variation in the intrahepatic branching pattern ob-served was the right posterior segmental division supplying segment VIII. A rare left portal vein variation, in which it gave branches to segments V and VIII was noted. In this study, variations in the segmental supply of the portal vein were observed, which have not been studied in detail previously in the Indian population. Variations on the left portal vein are infrequent. A prior knowledge of such variations will help the interventional radiologists to reduce misinterpretations and subsequent misdiagnosis and guide the hepatobiliary
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