Identificação dos ramos tributários da veia porta hepáticana preguiça-comum, Bradypus variegatus Schinz, 1825 (Pilosa:Bradypodidae)

Abstract

Bradypus variegatus,commonly known as common sloth, is a species belonging to the Bradypodidae family. The sloths are considered a biological model and can be applied to multidisciplinary research, since the animals present morphological differences and share the uncommon characteristic when compared with other eutherians. Thus, this study was developed to be applied the medical clinic and the proper management of sloths, aiming to approach the anatomical aspects of the mammal, especially whendealing with the cardiovascular system. Ten sloths were used obtained after natural death, through the CETAS/CPRHWildlife Screening Center, the collection belongs of area anatomy of the Department of Morphology and Animal Physiology of the FederalRural University of Pernambuco, where the research was also carried out. The animals were fixed in 20% aqueous solution of formaldehyde and then advanced in a 30%saline tank. For an assembly of the results the specimens were submitted to dissection technique. In 80% of the observations the portal vein originated from five tributaries, namely: the mesenteric trunk, the vein formed by anastomoses of the cardic vein, fundicveinand pyloric branches, the vein resulting fron the union of branches of the stomach body with branches of the cranial portion of the cardic cavity, pyloric vein and splenic vein. In 20% of the animals, theportal vein consists of six tributaries, since the fundic vein and the cardic vein perform two direct anastomoses with a tranverse disposition, arriving the hepatic portal vein two tributary vessels. It was found, therefore, that the hepatic portal systemis responsible for the drainage of the stomach, spleen, pancreas and intestines, as in most mammals;