Levertakken

Levertakken is a Dutch term that broadly refers to the network of smaller vessels and ducts that supply and drain the liver. In medical usage, levertakken encompasses the intrahepatic branches of the hepatic artery, the portal vein, the hepatic veins, and the intrahepatic bile ducts that originate or travel through the liver parenchyma. The term is often used in discussions of hepatic anatomy and surgical planning to describe the branching patterns within the liver.

Anatomy and organization

The liver’s primary vascular supply comes from the hepatic arterial system and the portal venous system. The proper hepatic artery divides into left and right hepatic arteries, which run with the portal triad through the liver substance. The portal vein enters the liver and divides into left and right branches, delivering nutrient-rich blood. Blood drainage occurs through the hepatic veins (right, middle, and left) that empty into the inferior vena cava. The biliary network begins as intrahepatic bile ductules within each lobule and forms the left and right hepatic ducts, which join to create the common hepatic duct; these ducts run alongside the vascular branches within the Glissonian sheath, forming part of the set of leveren-takken.

Clinical relevance

Knowledge of levertakken is crucial in hepatobiliary surgery and transplantation. Variation in the branching patterns is common, and accurate mapping of arterial, portal, venous, and biliary branches supports safe anatomical resections, segmental liver surgery, and donor–recipient matching. Preoperative imaging (CT or MRI) and intraoperative assessments aim to delineate these branches to preserve functional liver tissue and minimize complications.

See also

Liver anatomy; hepatic artery and portal vein; Couinaud segmentation; Glissonian pedicle.