cirrhosis

[Anonymous]

This is a high yield concept because it deals with path, physio, and anatomy. The basic concept is that in cirrhosis, the liver fails and the hepatic portal system needs to find a way to bypass the failed liver and get the blood back to the heart. It accomplishes this by anastamoses which create caput medusa, intenal hemorrhoids and esophageal varices. What does the esophageal varices anastamosis consist of (which veins)?






The correct answer is the gastric veins from the portal system to the veins of the lower esophagus which drain into the azygous system.

ref: kaplan anatomy pg 104