Lecture 3: Peritoneal Cavity and Mesenteries

Question 1

What are the boundaries of the peritoneal cavity?

Answer 1

Anterior: anterior abdominal wall
Posterior: posterior abdominal wall
Superior: respiratory diaphragm
Inferior: pelvic floor

Question 2

What are the layers of the peritoneum?

Answer 2

Parietal (superficial) - lines inner abdominal wall

Visceral (deep) - around viscera

Question 3

What are the roles of the peritoneum?

Answer 3

• make peritoneal fluid for lubrication and minimize abdominal organ friction
• immunological stuff (make Abs, leukocytes, localize the infection)

Question 4

What are the two main subdivisions of the peritoneal cavity and how do they communicate?

Answer 4

Lesser sac and greater sac

They communicate via the epiploic foramen

Question 5

What forms the supracolic and infracolic compartments?

Answer 5

transverse mesocolon attaching to the transverse colon

Question 6

What organs are in the supracolic compartment?

Infracolic compartment?

Answer 6

• stomach, liver, spleen

- small intestine, colon

Question 7

What are the boundaries of the epiploic foramen?

Answer 7

Anterior: Hepaticduodeal l.

superior: peritoneum from liver to inferior vena cava
posterior: peritoneum covering the inferior vena cava
inferior: 1st part of duodenum

Question 8

What is the mesentery?

Answer 8

peritoneal membrane attaching to the posterior abdominal wall and to jejunum and ileum of the stomach
-has vessels, nerves and lymphatics for the mesenteric organs + fat

Question 9

What is the lesser omentum?

Answer 9

-membrane attached to liver, stomach and duodenum

made of the hepatoduodenal l. and the hepatogastric l.

Question 10

What is the greater omentum?

Answer 10

-membrane attached to the greater curvature of stomach,duodenum and transverse colon

Question 11

What is the main role of peritoneal ligaments?

Answer 11

connect abdominal organs to each other or to the abdominal wall

Question 12

What are the peritoneal ligaments on the liver?

Be able to identify this in image

Answer 12

Trianglular ligaments (left and right)
Falciform ligament
Round ligament
Ligamentum teres 
Coronary ligament

Question 13

What is the significance of the falciform ligament?

How about the gastrophrenic ligament?

Answer 13

attaches the liver to the parietal peritoneum

connects stomach to respiratory diaphragm, spleen and transverse colon

Question 14

What is the significance of the peritoneal recess?

Answer 14

pouch formed by a peritoneal fold over a visceral organ

peritonitis if inflamed

Question 15

What are the major causes of peritonitis?

Answer 15

-bursed, perforation or trauma to viscera

Question 16

What is ascites and what are the major causes?

Answer 16

• fluid buildup in the peritoneal cavity

- mostly caused by cirrhosis

Question 17

What are paracolic gutters?

Answer 17

spaces lined by peritoneum around the ascending and descending colon

Question 18

What are subphrenic recess?

Answer 18

spaces lined by peritoneum between liver and diaphragm

Question 19

What are the major causes of omental bursa fluid buildup?

Answer 19

• posterior stomach perforation
• pancreatitis
• pancreatic trauma