Anatomy?? Flashcards
What are the nine regions of the abdomen called?
Right and left hypochondriac regions Right and left lumbar regions Right and left iliac regions Epigastric region Umbilical region Hypogastric region
What divides the abdomen into 9 regions? (Surface anatomy)
Mid clavicular lines
Subcostal and transtubecular lines
What divides the abdominal cavity into supracolic and infracolic compartments?
The transverse mesocolon
What is contained in the supracolic compartment?
Stomach
Liver
Spleen
What is in the infracolic compartment?
Small intestine
Ascending and descending colon
What allows communication between the supracolic compartments and infracolic compartments?
Paracolic gutters
-grooves between lateral aspect of ascending and descending colon and the posterolateral abdominal wall
What is the greater sac/omental bursa made up of?
Supracolic and infracolic compartments
Where does the lesser sac lie?
Posterior to the stomach and lesser omentum
How do the lesser and greater sacs communicate?
Through the omental/epiploic foramen
What causes the right sub phrenic space to be bigger than usual?
Absence of the spleen
Where is the right sub phrenic space?
Between the diaphragm, left lobe of liver, stomach and spleen
Clinical significance of right sub phrenic space?
Common site for fluid collection, especially after a splenectomy.
What separates the sub phrenic spaces into left and right?
The falciform ligament of the liver
What is the retrovesical pouch?
A double folding of peritoneum between the rectum and the bladder seen in males.
What are the two peritoneal ‘pouches’ in women? Where are they seen?
Retrouterine pouch - double folded extension of peritoneum between the rectum and posterior wall of the uterus
Vesicouterine pouch - double fold of peritoneum between the anterior surface of the uterus and the bladder
Why are females more susceptible to peritonitis?
Abdominal ostia of uterine tubes open into the peritoneal cavity - potential pathway between the female genial tract and the peritoneum
Infections of vagina, uterus and uterine tubes may result in infection and inflammation of the peritoneum
What prevents spread of infection through the abdominal ostia into the peritoneum?
Mucous plug in the external os (opening) of the uterus - prevents passage of pathogens, sperm can still enter the uterus
What is paracentesis?
Procedure used to drain fluid from the peritoneal cavity
-needle inserted through the abdominal wall into the peritoneal cavity
What structures do you need to be careful of in a paracentesis?
Needs to be done above the urinary bladder
Avoid the inferior epigastric artery
Why would you do a paracentesis?
Drain ascitic fluid, diagnose cause of ascites, check for certain cancers which may metastasise via the peritoneum eg liver cancer
What is ascites?
Accumulation of excess fluid in the peritoneal cavity
Common causes of ascites?
Portal hypertension secondary to cirrhosis
Infection and peritonitis
Malignancy of the GI tract
Malnutrition
Mechanical injuries causing internal bleeding
What is peritonitis?
Infection and inflammation of the peritoneum
What can cause peritonitis?
Bacterial contamination as a result of a laparotomy
Secondary to infection elsewhere in the GI tract eg burst appendix, acute pancreatitis, gastric ulcer eroding through wall of stomach
