The Digestive System 1

Question 1

Name the 4 Abdominal Quadrants

Answer 1

Right upper quadrant
Left upper quadrant
Right lower quadrant
Left lower quadrant

Question 2

What do each Abdominal Quadrants consist of ?

Answer 2

Right upper quadrant
- liver, stomach, gall bladder, duodenum, right kidney, pancreas, transverse colon, small intestine and right adrenal gland

Left upper quadrant
- liver, left adrenal gland, stomach, left kidney, pancreas, spleen, transverse colon and small intestine

Right lower quadrant
- large intestine cecum, right ureter, appendix, right reproductive organs – ovary, fallopian tube, spermatic cord

Left lower quadrant
- left ureter, small intestine, large intestine, left reproductive organs – ovary, fallopian tube, spermatic cord

Question 3

What are the 4 abdominal quadrants created by?

Answer 3

They are created by the a transverse plane which is also called the trans umbilical plane

The naval - belly button - is the main landmark to locate the four quadrants – the point where two planes intersect.

• right and left are from the person in anatomical position

Question 4

Name the 9 abdominal regions

Answer 4

Left and right hypochondriac region
Epigastric region

Right and left lumbar region
Umbilical region

Right and left iliac region
Hypogastric region

H
E
L
U
I
H

Question 5

what do the 9 abdominal regions consist of?

Answer 5

Left hypochondriac region
- livers tip, stomach, pancreas, left kidney, spleen, large/small intestine

Right hypochondriac region
– hypo means below, chondriac means cartilage of ribs – under the ribs
- liver, right kidney, gall bladder, large/small intestine

Right lumbar region
- ascending colon, small intestine and right kidney

Left lumbar region
- lumbar vertebrae in lower back, between ribs and pelvis
- descending colon, small intestine and left kidney

Right iliac region
- appendix, caecum, ascending colon, small intestine
Left iliac
- top of hip bone has iliac crest, this region is closest to hip bone
- sigmoid colon, descending colon and small intestine.

Hypogastric region
– hypo means below, gastric means stomach, below the stomach
- bladder, sigmoid colon, small intestine and reproductive organs

Umbilical region
– navel – umbilicus – middle
- duodenum, small intestine, transverse colon

Epigastric region
– above the stomach
- over, stomach, spleen, duodenum, adrenal glands and pancreas

Question 6

Describe the structure of the abdominal wall

Answer 6

The first layer is the epidermis - skin - layer

The second layer is the subcutaneous layer - this can be split into 3 parts
- fatty layer to insulate us - superficial fascia layer
- membrane layer.- superficial membrane fascia
- deep adipose layer

We then have muscles such as external and internal oblique muscles

We then have an external peritoneal fascia layer

finally we have the parietal peritoneal layer

Question 7

Describe the superior thoracic aperture

Answer 7

It is the opening of t1 just before the sternum where all the blood vessels enter and exit

Question 8

Describe the inferior aperture

Answer 8

It is the lower aspect of the thoracic region. This is at t12, where the diaphragm pushes the ribs up separating the abdomen from the rib cage.
The abdomen begins at the inferior thoracic aperture

Question 9

Describe the abdomen and pelvis relation

Answer 9

The abdomen freely communicates with the pelvis inferior to the pelvic inlet

Question 10

Describe the peritoneal cavity in the abdomen

Answer 10

The peritoneal cavity is the space between the parietal and visceral linings. Now this space contains peritoneal fluid.

The fluid is divided

Question 11

Describe the parietal peritoneal cavity and the visceral peritoneal cavity

Answer 11

The parietal peritoneal layer surrounds the lining of the abdominal cavity whilst the visceral lining surrounds the abdominal organs for example the liver, spleen and stomach ect. Both of these linings are the same layer going all the way around just different names that’s all.

Question 12

Why do we need peritoneal fluid in the peritoneal cavity?

Answer 12

It helps with the movement and expansion of the gut by lubricating it.

Question 13

Describe the greater omentum

Answer 13

Omentum is double folds of the visceral peritoneal lining

Greater omentum
Folds that connect intra peritoneal organs
Connects stomach, duodenum to other organs
- largest peritoneal fold
- Highly vascularised and fatty
- fro greater curvature of stomach
- passes over transverse colon and loops of small bowel
- Encloses spleen

Question 14

What are mesenteries?

Answer 14

A messentry is when the double folds (omentum) attaches to the posterior abdominal wall.

A mesentery surrounds and supports loops of bowel. Double layers connected posteriorly to the abdominal wall and then ‘encase’ the loops of bowel.

Messentry is a double layer of parietal peritoneum on dorsal aspect of peritoneal cavity.
It provides routes for vessels, lymphatics, nerves to digestive organs.
Allows some movement of bowel

Three types
Messentry: loops of Jejunum and ileum
Transverse mesocolon
Sigmoid mesocolon

The small intestine has a double fold that attaches itself to the posterior end of the abdominal cavity. - this is a messentry

Question 15

What are Intra Peritoneal organs

Answer 15

So we have intraperitoneal organs, these are organs that are almost surrounded by the visceral peritoneal lining like the stomach

Stomach
Gi tract including
Ilium
duodenum first part
Jejunum
Caecum
Appendix
Transverse colon
Sigmoid colon
1/3 rectum

there is a space between the parietal and visceral peritoneal lining that is called the peritoneal cavity - the fluid.

the visceral peritoneal lining is encapsulated in the peritoneal cavity.

Question 16

What are Retro Peritoneal organs

Answer 16

The retroperitonal organs are those organs which are only surrounded by the parietal peritoneal lining

Kidneys
Adrenal glands
Ureters
Aorta
Inferior vena cava
2/3 rectum

Question 17

What is the function of the abdomen?

Answer 17

The abdomen protects and contains major organ such as the stomach and intestines

The abdominal wall relaxes to allow the thoracic cavity to expand when we inhale and to contra t to reduce thoracic cavity for example whenever we sneeze or cough.

There is an increase in abdominal pressure to assist in childbirth.

Question 18

What is mastication

Answer 18

The process in which the mouth chews food

Question 19

What happens after mastication

Answer 19

The food goes down the oesophagus as a bolus

Question 20

Where does the food go after the oesophagus

Answer 20

The food (bolus) goes into the stomach.
The stomach mixes hydrochloric acids to digest some of the food so it becomes mushy

Question 21

When the food becomes mushy in the stomach where does it then go

Answer 21

The mushy food is known as chyme.
The chyme goes into the small intestine from the pylorus sphincter
The small intestine is the main site for absorption.

Question 22

What is the gi tract also known as?

Answer 22

Alimentary canal

Question 23

what are the four layer of the gi tract

Answer 23

Mucosa
Submucosa
Muscularis externa
Serosa / adventitia

Question 24

Describe the mucosa in the alimentary tract

Answer 24

Inner most layer
Has 3 parts
Epithelial tissue - directly contacting the contents
In the mouth to upper oesophagus and anus, there is stratified squamous epithelium
In the stomach to rectum, there is simple columnar epithelium

Lamina propria - loose connective tissue

Muscularis mucosa - thin ring of smooth muscle

Question 25

Describe the Submucosa in the alimentary canal

Answer 25

Thicker area of loose connective tissue
This is where the blood supply, nerve supply, nerve supply is distributed through the gi tract.
It also contains mucous glands

Question 26

Describe the muscularis externa in the gi tract

Answer 26

There are two layers of smooth muscle
The inner layer is the circular coat that encircles the lumen
The outer layer is called the longitudinal coat

Question 27

Describe the serosa / adventitia in the gi tract

Answer 27

This is the visceral peritoneum
It is a serous membrane
In the abdominal and pelvic cavity, it is called the serosa
Surrounding the oesophagus and distal rectum, it is called the adventitia

Question 28

Describe the lesser omentum

Answer 28

Omentum is double folds of the visceral peritoneal lining

The lesser omentum is a peritoneal double fold
It is the smaller omentum
It origins from the lesser curvature of the stomach
It is connected to the inferior part of the liver through hepatogastric and hepatoduodenul ligaments
Anteriorly, It contains gastris and hepato arteries, portal veins and bile ducts
It forms the anterior border of the epiploic foramen
It is superior to the greater sac of peritoneal cavity
It is posterior to the stomach and liver

Question 29

Where does the abdomen begin ?

Answer 29

It begins at the inferior thoracic aperture

Question 30

What is the abdomen wall bounded by

Answer 30

It is bounded by xiphisternum and lower costal margins(superiorly), pelvic bone (inferiorly), spine (posteriorly.

Question 31

What are the ligaments in the peritoneal cavity?

Answer 31

There are 2 layers of peritoneum connecting organs or organ to abdominal wall

Question 32

Describe the falciform ligament

Answer 32

It attaches anterior part of liver to anterior abdominal wall