Peritoneal Cavity & 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=floor of pelvic cavity

Question 2

What fills the peritoneal cavity?

Answer 2

cavity is empty except when air is admitted during surgery or when excess fluid (ascites) or pus accumulates

Question 3

What are the 3 functions of the peritoneum?

Answer 3

produce peritoneal fluid
minimize friction btwn abdominal organs
resist infection

Question 4

How does the peritoneum protect against infection?

Answer 4

in response to injury or infection:

produces fluid (w/ antibodies)
produces leukocytes
walls off or localizes infection

Question 5

Where is the omental bursa located?

Answer 5

posterior to lesser omentum, stomach & caudate lobe of the liver

Question 6

How do the lesser and greater sacs of the peritoneal cavity communicate?

Answer 6

thru the epiploic foramen

Question 7

What are the borders of the epiploic foramen?

Answer 7

anterior=hepatoduodenal L
posterior=parietal peritoneum (covering IVC)
superior=reflection of pertioneum from liver
inferior=duodenum

Question 8

What makes up most of the peritoneal cavity?

Answer 8

greater sac

Question 9

What will an incision in the anterior or lateral abdominal wall enter?

Answer 9

the greater sac

Question 10

Why are females more susceptible to infection in abdominal cavity?

Answer 10

communication of uterine tubes, uterine cavity & vagina to external wall with peritoneal cavity that provides potential path for infection

Question 11

What is the role of the mesentery?

Answer 11

double layered membrane of peritoneum attached to post ab wall from where blood & nerve supply to ab viscera originates

Question 12

Where do both the lesser and greater omentum originate?

Answer 12

from the stomach to adj organs

Question 13

Lesser omentum

Answer 13

attaches lesser curvature of stomach & 1st part of duodenum to liver

Question 14

Greater omentum

Answer 14

attaches greater curvature of stomach & 1st part of duodenum to transverse colon

Question 15

Falciform ligament

Answer 15

attaches liver to ant abdominal wall

Question 16

Hepatogastric ligament

Answer 16

membranous portion of lesser omentum

attaches lesser curve of stomach to liver

Question 17

Hepatoduodenal ligament

Answer 17

membranous portion of lesser omentum

attaches duodenum to liver

Question 18

What makes up the lesser omentum?

Answer 18

hepatogastric L

hepatoduodenal L

Question 19

Gastrophrenic ligament

Answer 19

attaches fundus of stomach to diaphragm

Question 20

Gastrosplenic ligament

Answer 20

attaches stomach to hilum of spleen

Question 21

Gastrocolic ligament

Answer 21

part of greater omentum that attaches greater curvature of stomach to transverse colon

Question 22

What are different peritoneal recesses?

Answer 22

inferior recess of omental bursa
paracolic gutters (lateral to asc & desc colons)
subphrenic recess
hepatorenal recess

Question 23

What is peritonitis?

Answer 23

inflammation of peritoneum

Question 24

Causes of peritonitis

Answer 24

bursed viscera (ruptured appendix) that dumps content into peritoneal cavity

perforated viscera (gastic ulcer that erodes stomach wall & dump of contents into peritoneal cavity)

physical trauma to viscera

Question 25

Where do stomach ulcers usually rupture?

Answer 25

on posterior side of stomach (where has direct contact w/ lesser sac)

Question 26

What is ascites? What causes ascites?

Answer 26

collection of fluid in peritoneal cavity

cirrhosis is major cause 
mechanical injury
portal hypertension
metastasis of cancer to ab viscera
starvation

Question 27

What is a frequent complication of ascites?

Answer 27

subphrenic abscess

Question 28

Where does ascites fluid tend to accumulate?

Answer 28

passes inferiorly thru paracolic gutters into pelvic cavity

OR

spreads into subphrenic recess via paracolic gutters

Question 29

What causes fluid in omental bursa?

Answer 29

perforated posterior stomach wall (fluid leaks into lesser sac), pancreatitis, or injured pancreas