Medial Branch of Left Hepatic Duct
Ramus medialis ductus hepatici sinistri
Read moreStructure/Morphology
The left hepatic duct is formed by the merging of lateral and medial branches and carries bile from the left liver.
The left segmental ducts that receive bile from segment IV unite to form the medial branch of the left hepatic duct. Sometimes, segment IV may drain directly into segment II or III ducts, the anterior branch of the right hepatic duct, or even into the common hepatic duct (Standring, 2016).
Key Features/Anatomical Relations
Once the hepatic branches merge, the left hepatic duct becomes extrahepatic and runs along the inferior edge of liver segment IV for several centimeters. It’s longer and more horizontally oriented than the right hepatic duct. It ends in the porta hepatis where it merges with the right hepatic duct to form the common hepatic duct (Standring, 2016).
Function
The medial branch of the left hepatic duct transmits bile from segment IV of the left liver to the left hepatic duct and on to the common hepatic duct.
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41 edn.: Elsevier Limited.
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Common Hepatic Duct
Although the confluence of the hepatic ducts is situated outside of the parenchyma of the liver, for convenience an intrahepatic bile duct is defined as any bile duct proximal to the confluence of the right and left hepatic ducts.
