Hepatic branches of anterior vagal trunk - Digestive system - Autonomic nervous system - e-Anatomy
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Hepatic branches of anterior vagal trunk

Rami hepatici trunci vagalis anterioris

  • Related terms: Hepatic branches

Definition

The anterior vagal trunk, gives off neuronal hepatic branches to the hepatic plexus. They run transversely through the peritoneal layers of the lesser omentum > cross the free edge of lesser omentum > reach the hilum of liver.

The hepatic plexus is a plexus of nerves and ganglia situated around the hepatic artery and the portal vein and bile duct (i.e. three components of the portal triad). The plexus innervates the liver parenchyma and vasculature, biliary tree and gall bladder, and the structures in the free edge of lesser omentum. From here, some fibers also descend to supply the pylorus, duodenum and pancreas.

References

Text written by Muhammad A. Javaid, MD, PhD © 2023 IMAIOS.

  • Standring, S. and Gray, H. (2016). ‘Chapter 64: Abdominal esophagus and stomach’ in Gray’s anatomy The anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. (41st ed.) New York: Elsevier, pp. 1118.

  • Fillmore, E.P. and Seifert, M.F. (2015). ‘Chapter 27-Anatomy of the Vagus Nerve’, in Nerves and Nerve Injuries. Editor(s): Tubbs, R.S., Rizk, E., Shoja, M.M., Loukas, M., Barbaro, N. and Spinner, R.J. Academic Press, pp. 385-397. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-410390-0.00028-7

  • Wang, C.J., Kong, S.H., Park, J.H. et al. (2021). Preservation of hepatic branch of the vagus nerve reduces the risk of gallstone formation after gastrectomy. Gastric Cancer 24, Fig 1 on pp. 234. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10120-020-01106-z

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