0 the vein that carries blood, containing substances obtained from food, from the intestines to the liver --
After absorption, it enters the hepatic portal vein and is directed toward the liver.
For this reason, the hepatic portal vein is occasionally called the "splenic-mesenteric confluence".
An important example of such a condition is elevated blood pressure in the hepatic portal vein.
Occasionally, the hepatic portal vein also directly communicates with the inferior mesenteric vein, although this is highly variable.
Since this is an important function in mammals, damage to the hepatic portal vein can be dangerous.
Other tributaries of the hepatic portal vein include the cystic and gastric veins.
Coccygeomesenteric and hepatic portal vein drain the posterior digestive tract.
For this reason, portal vein most commonly refers to the hepatic portal vein.
