The Liver and Biliary Apparatus: Basic Structural Anatomy and Variations

Understanding the anatomy of the liver may be complicated by the lack of anatomical consistency in its description. While external observation of the liver presents a clear depiction of lobar division, appreciation of its functional anatomy is often made difficult by its complex intra-hepatic architecture. In this chapter, the liver is approached through a clear delineation of its core features central to the clinical translation of its anatomy. The liver will be described in terms of its location and surface anatomy, peritoneal relations, surfaces and lobes, segmental anatomy, blood supply and venous and lymphatic drainage. Descriptions will combine gross anatomical features and histology with a commentary of the development and developmental anomalies of the liver.