Side Profile of the Male Anterior Lateral Hepatic Segment

Description

Obliquely from the right lateral side, the anterior and lateral surface of the left hepatic lobe comes into profile, centering on Couinaud segment III (the third segment) along the inferior aspect. The falciform ligament marks the medial boundary toward segment IV, while the inferior margin curves anteroinferiorly toward the left hepatic edge. Superiorly, the diaphragmatic surface sweeps posteriorly, with the hepatic capsule contour defining the surface topography of this anterolateral hepatic segment. Segment III matters because it is the left lateral inferior segment most often approached in left lateral sectionectomy and in living donor transplantation when harvesting segments II and III. Orientation to the anterolateral surface helps anticipate the course of peripheral portal pedicles and hepatic veins during parenchymal transection, where small branches are encountered close to the capsule. Clear segmental boundaries also support accurate description of focal lesions, since hepatocellular carcinoma or colorectal liver metastases in segment III can be planned for wedge resection versus formal segmentectomy based on their relationship to the falciform ligament and the inferior border. Small details change the operative plan. Surgical anatomy teaching, hepatobiliary board review, and atlas figures on Couinaud segmentation benefit from this side profile when explaining how segment III relates to the left hepatic edge and the medial plane of the falciform ligament. It also fits radiology and pathology publications that need a surface-based orientation to segment III before correlating with axial CT, MRI, or intraoperative ultrasound findings. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.