portal

portal /por·tal/ (port´'l)

1. porta.

2. pertaining to a porta, especially the porta hepatis.

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por·tal (pôrtl)

adj.

1. Of or relating to a porta or hilum.

2. Of or relating to the portal vein or the portal system.

3. Of or relating to a point of entrance to an organ, especially the transverse fissure of the liver, through which the blood vessels enter.

n.

1. The portal vein.

2. The point of entry into the body of a pathogenic microorganism.

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Portal

An entrance or a means of entrance.

Mentioned in: General Surgery

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portal

[pôr′təl]

Etymology: L, porta, gateway

n, an entrance.

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portal

1. an avenue of entrance; porta.

2. pertaining to an entrance, especially the porta hepatis.

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portal-azygos anastomosis

a form of portacaval shunt with the portal vein bypassing the liver and emptying directly into the azygos vein.

portal biliary bacterial circulation

a continuous normal circulation of bacteria brought to the liver in the portal vein from the gut and excreted back into the gut via the biliary system.

portal canal

tissue space situated between three or more hepatic lobules; carries the blood and lymphatic vessels and connective tissue.

portal-caval

see portacaval.

portal circulation

circulation of blood from the capillaries of one organ to those of another; applied especially to the passage of blood from the gastrointestinal tract and spleen through the portal vein to the liver. See also circulatory system.

portal of entry

the pathway by which bacteria or other pathogenic agents gain entry to the body.

portal fibrosis

see biliary fibrosis.

portal hypertension

see portal obstruction.

portal obstruction

obstruction of portal venous blood flow through external pressure on the portal vein, by abscess or tumor or by hepatic fibrosis constricting the hepatic vascular bed, causes interference with digestion and absorption and eventually venous return so that ascites and diarrhea develop.

portal system

an arrangement by which blood collected from one set of capillaries passes through a large vessel or vessels and another set of capillaries before returning to the systemic circulation, as in the pituitary gland and liver.

Includes the hepatic portal system consisting of portal vein and its tributaries from the stomach, intestine, pancreas and spleen, the vessels into which the portal vein divides in the liver and the hepatic veins that enter into the caudal vena cava.

portal systemic shunt

see portacaval shunt.

portal triad

anatomically close association of interlobular bile duct, branches of hepatic artery and portal vein.

portal vascular anomalies

see portacaval anastomosis.

portal vein

a short, thick trunk formed by the union of the caudal mesenteric and splenic veins; at the porta hepatis, it divides into successively smaller branches, following branches of the hepatic artery, until it forms a capillary system of sinusoids that permeates the entire substance of the liver.

portal vein obstruction

acute, complete obstruction causes a syndrome similar to that of intestinal obstruction without signs suggesting liver involvement; partial occlusion causes shrinkage and eventual atrophy of the relevant section of the liver.

portal vein rupture

rare complication of epiploic foraminal herniation; sudden death from internal hemorrhage results.

portal venule absence

a congenital defect resulting in the development of multiple shunts within the liver, hepatoportal fibrosis and ascites, general immaturity and hepatic encephalopathy.

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portal

noun Orthopedics A small–eg, ±1 cm incision over a joint to provide access for arthroscopy Radiation oncology See Port adjective AnatomyReferring to the portal vein.