The terminal distribution of the hepatic artery and its relationship to the development of focal liver necrosis following interruption of the portal blood supply.

Abstract

The terminal distribution of the hepatic artery of the human liver was examined by arterial injection of india ink and serial sectioning. The branches of the hepatic artery form capillary networks around the bile duct in the portal tract, from which the capillaries (terminal venous branch) arise and connect with sinusoids at the most peripheral zone of the liver lobules. Evidence of direct anastomosis between the hepatic artery and portal vein inside the portal tract or presence of “innere Pfortaderwurzeln” as well as the intralobular arteriole was not demonstrated.The authors also studied the hepatic changes caused by interruption of the portal blood supply to the liver lobule. It was demonstrated that the portal tract and its components as well as several layers of liver parenchymal tissue around the portal tract are nourished from blood via the peribiliary capillary plexus and thus remains unaffected by portal obstruction, while other parts of the liver lobule will undergo coagulation necrosis.Based on the present investigation, the authors believe that the hepatic artery plays the main role in the nourishment of the bile duct while it has little to do with that of the liver lobule, except for the most peripheral layers of the liver lobules adjacent to the portal areas.