Q26: Congenital malformations of great veins

Q26.5: Anomalous portal venous connection

The liver is an important organ on the top right of the abdomen. For example, it helps with blood clotting and detoxifying the body. Nutrients from food are processed in the liver. The nutrient-rich blood from the abdominal organs flows through the portal vein into the liver.

Your portal vein did not develop properly before you were born. This is why some of your blood flows from the portal vein past the liver. This blood flows directly into another blood vessel.

The liver removes some of the harmful substances from the blood. If blood from the abdominal organs does not flow through the liver, then harmful substances can remain in the blood. These substances could damage the brain, for example.