Veins draining liver to inferior vena cava; three major (right, middle, left)
Expansion
Hepatic Vein
Purpose
Assess for thrombosis (Budd-Chiari syndrome), hepatic vein stenosis
Clinical Context
Hepatic veins drain liver into inferior vena cava. Three major: right, middle, left. Budd-Chiari: thrombosis causes acute liver failure, massive ascites. Associated with hypercoagulability, myeloproliferative disease.
Related Terms
- Hepatic artery
- Inferior vena cava
Key Points
- “Budd-Chiari syndrome: hepatic vein thrombosis presents with acute liver failure, ascites; ultrasound shows absent hepatic vein flow”