Arteries of the Liver, Posterior View

Description

Emerging on the posterior surface of the male liver, the proper hepatic artery divides into right and left hepatic arteries that course superiorly and laterally toward the right and left lobes, then arborize into segmental and subsegmental branches within the parenchyma. Along the porta hepatis, arterial branches run in close proximity to the portal vein and the hepatic ducts, reflecting the anatomy of the portal triad before dispersing toward the lobar territories. Posterior relationships are emphasized, including the groove for the inferior vena cava, which lies deep to the caudate lobe and provides a fixed landmark against which the hilar vessels can be oriented. Orientation is clear. The posterior aspect dominates. Posterior hepatic arterial anatomy matters when planning or interpreting hepatobiliary surgery and endovascular therapy because arterial variants and short extrahepatic segments can be missed when one only thinks in an anterior, textbook projection. Ligation or injury to an aberrant right hepatic artery during cholecystectomy, or non-target embolization during transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma, are both problems rooted in understanding where these vessels approach and enter the liver at the hilum. A posterior view also supports teaching of Couinaud segment perfusion patterns, since arterial inflow tracks with portal venous supply and biliary drainage, even when the surface lobar anatomy looks deceptively simple. Use this artwork in gross anatomy and hepatobiliary modules to pair surface landmarks (porta hepatis, caudate region, caval groove) with the hepatic arterial tree, and in surgical atlases or interventional radiology texts when illustrating catheter routes, embolization targets, or arterial variants. It also fits clinical teaching files for transplant and oncologic liver resections where inflow control at the hilum is discussed. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.