Abdominal Cavity and Peritoneal Reflections

Question 1

Which nerves supply the parietal peritoneum?

Answer 1

Thoracoabdominal nerves:

Intercostals
Subcostal
Iliohypogastric
Ilioinguinal

Question 2

What characteristic does suspension by a mesentery confer on a suspended organ?

Answer 2

Mobility: ability to change size/length

Question 3

When in situ, which abdominal organs lie retroperitoneally?

Answer 3

Duodenum
Kidneys
Caecum
Ascending colon
Descending colon
Rectum

Question 4

What is the falciform ligament?

Answer 4

Peritoneal ligament running from anterior wall of abdominal cavity to the liver

Question 5

What is contained in the free border of the falciform ligament?

Answer 5

Ligamentum teres

Question 6

Of what is the ligamentum teres a remnant?

Answer 6

Umbilical vein

Question 7

What is an adhesion?

Answer 7

Pathological connection between GI tract and the parietal peritoneum or other viscus

Question 8

What is attached to the posterior surface of the greater omentum?

Answer 8

Transverse colon

Question 9

What attaches the transverse colon to the posterior abdominal wall?

Answer 9

Transverse mesocolon

Question 10

The transverse mesocolon divides the abdominal cavity into what compartments?

Answer 10

Supracolic and infracolic

Question 11

The right extremity of the transverse colon is known as the __?__

Answer 11

Hepatic flexure

Question 12

The left extremity of the transverse colon is known as the __?__

Answer 12

Splenic flexure

Question 13

What space lies between the liver and diaphragm? What structure divides this space into left and right sides?

Answer 13

Subphrenic space, divided by falciform ligament

Question 14

What structure delimits the subphrenic space superiorly?

Answer 14

Coronary ligament

Question 15

What space lies between the inferior border of the liver and the transverse mesocolon?

Answer 15

Subhepatic channel

Question 16

What is the hepatorenal pouch and what is its clinical significance?

Answer 16

Lowest abdominal space when lying supine

Free fluid and pus can collect here when laid supine

Question 17

Which three structures are enclosed in the free border of the lesser omentum?

Answer 17

Hepatic artery (anterior left)
Bile duct (anterior right)
Portal vein (posterior)

(aka portal triad)

Question 18

What is the embryological origin of the lesser omentum?

Answer 18

Ventral mesogastrium

Question 19

What is the name of the opening into the lesser sac (or omental bursa)?

Answer 19

Epiploic foramen

Question 20

What structure(s) form the anterior margin of the epiploic foramen?

Answer 20

Portal triad

Question 21

What structure(s) form the posterior margin of the epiploic foramen?

Answer 21

Inferior vena cava

Question 22

What structure(s) form the superior margin of the epiploic foramen?

Answer 22

Caudate lobe

Question 23

What structure(s) form the posterior margin of the epiploic foramen?

Answer 23

1st part of duodenum

Question 24

How many layer of peritoneum make up the greater omentum?

Answer 24

Depends at which level:

Between greater curvature of stomach and transverse colon: 6 layers

Inferior to transverse colon: 4 layers

Question 25

What structure attaches the spleen to the greater curvature of the stomach?

Answer 25

Gastrosplenic ligament (part of greater omentum)

Question 26

What structure attaches the spleen to the posterior abdominal wall?

Answer 26

Lienorenal ligament (attaches in region of left kidney)

Question 27

In which ligament does the terminal part of the splenic artery run?

Answer 27

Terminal part of splenic artery runs in lienorenal ligament to reach the spleen

Question 28

On which side of the transverse colon would you find the phrenicocolic ligament?

Answer 28

Left

Suspends splenic flexure from diaphragm

Question 29

Where would you find the paracolic gutters?

Answer 29

Lateral to ascending and descending colons

Question 30

Which part of the small intestine does not have any mesentery?

Answer 30

Duodenum

Question 31

Where does the attachment of the mesentery begin in the small intestine?

Answer 31

Duodenojejunal flexure

Question 32

What is the root of the mesentery?

Answer 32

The attachment of the mesentery to the posterior abdominal wall

Question 33

The infracolic compartment, between the ascending and descending parts of the colon, is divided into left and right parts by the oblique attachment of the mesentery

Which side of the infracolic compartment communicates with the pelvis?

Answer 33

Left

Question 34

What is the mesocolon? What vessels does it contain?

Answer 34

Mesentery that suspends the appendix from the terminal ileum.

Contains appendicular artery, branch of the iliocolic

Question 35

Which peritoneal pouch(es) can be found in males?

Answer 35

Rectovesical

Question 36

Which peritoneal pouch(es) can be found in females?

Answer 36

Rectouterine (pouch of Douglas) and uterovesical

Question 37

What is the parasympathetic motor supply to the foregut and midgut?

Answer 37

Vagus

Question 38

What is the parasympathetic motor supply to the hindgut?

Answer 38

Pelvic splanchnic

Question 39

What is the parasympathetic motor supply to the bladder?

Answer 39

Pelvic splanchnic

Question 40

True or false: The vagus nerve would transmit pain information from the foregut?

Answer 40

False - vagus nerve transmits normal sensory information from foregut and midgut, not pain

Pain is transmitted via sympathetic motor supply.

Question 41

What is the sympathetic motor supply to the abdominal and pelvic viscera?

Answer 41

Greater, lesser, least and lumbar splanchnic nerves