Compartmentalization of the abdomen Flashcards
The abdominal cavity is divided by the
transverse colon and the transverse mesocolon into
supracolic and infracolic compartments
Where does the supracolic compartment lie
It lies above the
transverse mesocolon
Where does the infracolic compartment lie
It lies below the
transverse mesocolon
Contents of supracolic compartment
liver
stomach
spleen.
Contents of infracolic compartment
small intestine
ascending colon
descending colon.
The infracolic compartment is further divided into left and right infracolic spaces by
the mesentery of the small intestine.
The supracolic and infracolic compartments are
connected by
right and left paracolic gutters
the right paracolic gutter lies along the lateral side of
the ascending colon
the left paracolic gutter lies along the lateral side of
the descending colon
Right Infracolic Compartment
It lies between the ascending colon and the mesentery.
It is triangular in shape
with its apex directed downwards.
Left Infracolic Compartment
It lies between the descending colon and the mesentery.
It is triangular in shape
with its apex directed upwards.
Right paracolic gutter
The right paracolic gutter opens freely into the
hepatorenal pouch at its upper end.
Inferiorly, it is continuous with the rectovesical pouch in males and the rectouterine pouch in females.
Left paracolic gutter
The left paracolic gutter opens freely into the
pelvis at its lower end.
Above it is separated from the
spleen and from the lienorenal space by the
phrenicocolic ligament.
Clinical correlates of the RPG
It may be infected
by a downwards spread of infection from the
hepatorenal pouch or by an
upward spread from the appendix.
Clinical correlates of the LPG
Helps prevent spread of infection into left subphrenic region
It may be infected from the
supracolic compartment, or by an upward spread of
infection from the pelvis.
