Anatom3DRound ligament of the liver
Ligamentum teres hepatis · Oblý vaz jater
Fascia & connective tissue
Looks like
A fibrous cord running from the navel to the underside of the liver in the free edge of the falciform ligament.
What it does
It is what is left of the umbilical vein, which brought oxygen-rich blood from the placenta to the fetus; after birth it closes and has no job.
Keeping it well
In cirrhosis with high portal pressure, a vein beside it can reopen, and swollen veins spread round the navel (caput medusae). Surgeons use it as a landmark and handle for lifting the liver.