Round ligament of liver
Round ligament of the liver (ligamentum teres hepatis)
The round ligament is a fibrous cord at the free edge of the falciform ligament that connects the liver to the belly button (umbilicus). It is the remnant of the left umbilical vein from fetal life and helps divide the left lobe of the liver into medial and lateral parts.
In adults, small paraumbilical veins run through the ligament. If liver blood pressure is high (portal hypertension), these veins can form a link between the liver and the body’s veins, which can lead to visible abdominal veins called caput medusae.
Rarely, the round ligament can develop an abscess, usually requiring liver surgery.
The umbilical vein/round ligament is an important landmark on the inner surface of the anterior abdominal wall and is present in placental mammals.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 23:49 (CET).