L01 General anatomy of the abdomen Flashcards
L01, L02, Moore's Anatomy
Upper and lower boundary of thoracic cavity
Upper boundary: thoracic diaphragm
Lower boundary: Pelvic brim/inlet
Anatomical separation by thoracic diaphragm
Separates the thoracic cavity (above) from the abdominal cavity (below)
Anatomical separation by Pelvic brim
Separates abdominal cavity (above) from pelvic cavity (below)
Anatomical separation by pelvic diaphragm
Separates pelvic cavity (above) from perineum (below)
Nature of sacroiliac joint
A synovial joint that joins sacrum to hip bone (ilium, ischium, pubis) laterally on wither sides
Nature of pubic symphysis
A fibrocartilaginous joint that joins left and right hip bones at the pubis medial anteriorly.
Contents of the abdomen (overview)
(i) Most of the gastro-intestinal tract (or G.I.T.) - the last 2 cm of the oesophagus, the stomach, the small and large intestines, the liver and the pancreas,
(ii) Spleen - a large mass of lymphoid tissue
(iii) The organs of excretion - the kidneys with the upper part of their ducts, the ureters,
(iv) Blood vessels and lymphatics supplying/draining these organs
(v) nerves.
midclavicular lines
vertical lines are “dropped” from the midpoints of the clavicles
transpyloric plane
- horizontal plane
- midway between the xiphoid process of the sternum and the umbilicus (or midpoint of superior border of manubrium of sternum and pubic symphysis)
- passes through the 9th costal cartilage or the body of L1
- transects through pylorus (distal part of stomach) and organs (e.g. Liver, pancreas, duodenum)
Subcostal Plane
- horizontal plane
- passes through the inferior border of 10th costal cartilage or the body of L3
Transtubercular plane
- horizontal plane
- passes through the iliac tubercles and body of L5
Transumbilical plane
- Horizontal plane
- passing through umbilicus (and IV disc between L3 and L4)
Median Plane
- Vetical plane
- passing longitudinally through the body, passing thorugh the umbilicus
Nine regions of abdominal cavities
Delineated by four planes (2 sagittal / vertical, 2 transverse / horizontal):
- 2 midclavicular planes (left and right sagittal)
- Subcostal plane or transpyloric plane (upper transverse)
- Transtubercular plane (lower transverse)
Producing nine regions:
(right to left, upper to lower)
- Right hypochondrium
- Epigastrium
- Left hypochondrium
- Right flank/lumbar/lateral
- Umbilical
- Left flank/lumbar/lateral
- Right groin/iliac/inguinal
- Suprapubic/pubic/hypogastrium
- Left groin/iliac/inguinal

Four quadrants of abdominal cavity
Delineated by two planes (1 sagittal / vertical, 1 transverse / horizontal):
- Median plane (sagittal)
- transumbilical plane (transverse)
Producing four quadrants:
(right to left, upper to lower)
- Right Upper Quadrant
- Left Upper Quadrant
- Right Lower Quadrant
- Left Lower Quadrant

important surface markings of the abdominal viscera
1) liver (Upper margin) - level of 4th intercostals space.
2) Gallbladder - right 9th intercostals space, midclavicular line.
3) Spleen - posteriorly along the 9th to 11th ribs.
Muscles of anterolateral abdominal wall
Five (bilaterally paired) muscles; 3 flat muscles and 2 vertical muscles:
- external oblique (flat, outermost)
- internal oblique (flat, middle)
- transversus abdominis (falt, innermost)
- Rectus abdominis (vertical. large)
- Pyramidalis (vertical, small)

External oblique muscle
- Flat muscles
- Lateral to rectus abdominis muscles
- Downward forward towards rectus abdominis
- Largest and most superficial muscles of the three flat anterolateral abdominal muscles
- becomes aponeurotic at MCL medially, forming the rectus sheath

Internal oblique muscle
- Flat muscles
- Lateral to rectus abdominis muscles
- Upward forward towards rectus abdominis (more accurately fans out anteromedially)
- Between external oblique muscle (superficial) and transversus abdominis muscle (deep)
- Becomes aponeurotic at MCL medially, forming rectus sheath

Transversus abdominis muscle
- Flat muscles
- Lateral to rectus abdominis muscles
- Runs transversly
- innermost muscles of the three flat anterolateral abdominal muscles
- becomes aponeurotic at MCL medially, forming the rectus sheath

Rectus abdominis muscle
- Principal vertical muscle of anterior abdominal wall
- On either side of the median plane
- From xiphoid process of sternum (and 5-7th costal cartilages) to pubic crest and symphysis
- Encased by a rectus sheath produced from the aponeurosis of the three flat abdominal muscles (external oblique, internal oblique and transversus abdominis)

rectus sheath
- Strong, incomplete collagenous fibrous sheets containing rectus abdominis and pyramidalis
- Also contains superior and inferior epigastric A/V, lymphatic vessels, and thoracoabdominal nervrd (T7 - T12)
- Formed from the interweaved medial aponeurosis (wide flat tendon) of flat abdominal muscles
- Aponeurosis of external oblique -> Anterior rectus sheath; aponeurosis of internal oblique -> Anterior & posterior rectus sheath; aponeurosis of transversus abdominis -> posterior rectus sheath
- Inferior to the arcuate line of rectus sheath, the aponeurotic posterior rectus sheath disappear
- Fibers of anterior and posterior rectus sheath interlace in anterior median line to form linea alba
Layers of anterior abdominal wall
(Superficial to Innermost)
1) Skin
2) Loose Fatty Superficial Fascia (Fascia of Camper)
3) Membranous (fibrous) fascia (Scarpa’s fascia)
4) Anterior rectus sheath (from aponeurosis of external oblique and internal oblique)
5) Rectus abdominis
6) Posterior rectus sheath (from sponeurosis of internal oblique and transversus abdominis; absent below the arcuate line)
*) Linea Alba persists on the Anterior medial line at level 4-6
7) Transversalis fascia
8) Pre-peritoneal fat
9) Parietal peritoneum
Nerves of anterolateral abdominal wall
Source: T7 - T11, T12, L1
1) Thoracoabdominal nerves (T7 - T11; continuation of inferior intercostal nerves)
- Anterior cutaneous branches
- Lateral cutaneous branches
2) Subcostal nerve (anterior ramus of T12)
- Anterior cutaneous branches
- Lateral cutaneous branches
3) Iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal nerves (terminal branches of anterior ramus of L1)
Note: The nerves pass into the muscles from the lateral side. These nerves are actually intercostal nerves - they are nerves from the thorax sweeping down below the costal margin into the anterior abdominal wall. Of the lumbar nerves, only L1 is involved in supplying the antero-lateral wall.























