portaaltriade

Portaaltriade, also called the hepatic portal triad in English, denotes the regional concentration of three essential structures passing through the hepatoduodenal ligament at the porta hepatis: the hepatic artery proper, the portal vein, and the common bile duct. The triad is accompanied by a network of autonomic nerve fibers and lymphatic vessels.

The hepatic artery proper delivers oxygenated blood to the liver, while the portal vein brings nutrient-rich venous blood from the gastrointestinal tract. The common bile duct transports bile from the liver and gallbladder to the second part of the duodenum. These structures form a compact cluster within the hepatoduodenal ligament, and together with the accompanying nerves and lymphatics, they enter the liver at the porta hepatis.

Clinical relevance: Because the components are tightly bundled, control of hepatic inflow during liver surgery can be achieved by clamping the hepatoduodenal ligament, a maneuver known as the Pringle maneuver. Variations in the anatomy of the portal triad are common and can include arterial duplications, portal vein branching patterns, or bile duct anomalies, all of which have implications for surgery and radiologic interpretation.

Development and imaging: Embryologically, the portal triad components arise from foregut derivatives—the hepatic arterial system from the hepatic arterial plexus, the portal venous system from vitelline veins, and the biliary ductal system from the ductal plate. In clinical imaging, the portal triad is routinely assessed on ultrasound, CT, and MR imaging to evaluate liver and biliary pathology.