The Visceral surface is a sloping surface looking obliquely downwards, backwards, and to the left. It lies upon the stomach, intestines, and right kidney.

The visceral surface of the left lobe lies on the cardiac portion of the stomach and the lesser curvature where the small omentum is attached. The stomach makes a deep concave impression on the liver, and above, the liver substance bulges out, forming the omental tuberosity. The visceral surface of the right lobe is divided into two portions by the gall-bladder, the portion on the left being called the quadrate lobe. Between the left lobe and the quadrate lobe is the portal fissure, to which the small omentum is attached. In the portal fissure lie the portal vein, hepatic veins, and hepatic artery. On the right of the gall bladder are three impressions - that of the duodenum just above, and to the right that of the right kidney, and below, the hepatic flexure of the colon (see Fig. 49).

The Hepatic Duct is formed by the union of the ducts from the right and left lobes, and joined by the cystic duct from the common bile-duct, which lies in the portal fissure.

The Gall-Bladder is a diverticulum of the bile-duct to form a reservoir for the bile. It is a pear-shaped bag, the wide end of which usually protrudes below the inferior border of the liver and touches the abdominal wall at the level of the ninth costal cartilage on the right side.

Pancreas

The Pancreas is a long, narrow gland lying transversely on the posterior abdominal wall. It has no true capsule, so the lobulations are apparent. In shape the pancreas can be compared to a J turned on its side thus c. It is divisible into a head, body, and tail. The head lies in the curve of the duodenum, the body on the posterior abdominal wall crossing in front of the left kidney, and the tail comes in contact with the spleen. Behind the head of the pancreas are the vena cava and aorta. The upper surface of the body is wide (in transverse section the body is triangular), and forms part of the floor of the stomach chamber, and the anterior surface is in relation with the coils of the small intestine.

The whole of the pancreas is covered by peritoneum, except the posterior surface, which is closely applied to the abdominal wall and kidney.

The Pancreatic Duct commences at the tail of the organ. It emerges at the head, and, meeting the bile-duct, the two pierce the wall of the duodenum and open by a common orifice.