What is the portal vein?
Strictly speaking, there are two portal veins (vena portae) in the human body: the hepatic portal vein (vena portae hepatis) and the pituitary portal vein (vena portae hypophysiales). The short term portal vein usually refers to that of the liver. It is one of the veins and brings deoxygenated blood from the abdominal cavity to the liver. Its length is about six centimeters, and it lies horizontally directly behind the pancreas.
Collection point for blood from the abdominal cavity
The vena portae of the liver collects the blood from these veins and feeds it to the liver: as the central metabolic organ, this processes the nutrients from the food that have been absorbed into the blood in the digestive tract. Absorbed drugs and toxins as well as breakdown products from the spleen are also metabolized in the liver.
The portal vein circulation
You can read everything important about this secondary circuit of the large blood circulation in the article Portal Vein Circulation.
Complaints about the portal vein
Other health problems in the area of the portal vein include injuries, malformations, and benign and malignant neoplasms.
