Peritoneal cavity Flashcards
What is the peritoneal cavity?
The space in between the visceral and parietal peritoneum
What does the peritoneal cavity contain?
Small amount of lubricating fluid
What is the lubricating fluid in the peritoneal cavity made up of?
Water
Electrolytes
Leukocytes, antibodies
What is the function of the lubricating fluid in the peritoneal cavity?
Enables viscera to move over each other without friction
Defence against infection
What can the peritoneal cavity be divided into?
Greater sac
Lesser sac
What can the greater sac be divided into?
Supracolic compartment
Infracolic compartment
How is the greater sac divided into the supracolic and infracolic compartments?
Horizontally by the transverse colon
What is the supracolic compartment?
Peritoneal cavity around liver, stomach and spleen
What is the infracolic compartment?
Peritoneal cavity around small intestine, ascending and descending colon
What can the infracolic compartment be divided into?
Right infracolic space
Left infracolic space
How is the infracolic compartment divided into right and left infracolic spaces?
By the mesentery of the small intestine
Where is there no division between the supracolic and infracolic compartments?
Right and left paracolic gutters
What are the right and left paracolic gutters?
Space between the lateral side of the ascending/descending colon
and the postero-lateral abdominal wall
What is the lesser sac?
Peritoneal cavity behind the stomach, lesser omentum
How are the greater sacs and lesser sacs related to each other?
Epiploic foramen is an opening between the two
