The Peritoneum Flashcards
What is peritoneum and its function?
The serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity. It supports viscera and provides pathways for blood vessels, lymphatics and nerves.
Define parietal peritoneum.
Peritoneum which lines the abdominopelvic wall. Derived from somatic mesoderm. Receives somatic nerve supply from the region of wall it covers.
Define visceral peritoneum.
Peritoneum which invaginates to cover the majority of abdominal viscera. Receives autonomic innervation same as the organ it covers.
What is the peritoneal cavity?
Any space between the parietal and visceral peritoneum.
What is the dorsal mesentery?
Double fold of peritoneum from the posterior abdominal wall to viscera.
What is the ventral mesentery?
Double fold of peritoneum from the anterior abdominal wall to the viscera.
What are intraperitoneal organs? Give some examples.
Organs completely surrounded by the visceral peritoneum. Stomach Liver Spleen Part of the duodenum Jejunum Ileum Transverse colon Sigmoid colon
What are retroperitoneal organs?
Organs only partly covered by visceral peritoneum. Remaining duodenum Cecum Ascending colon Descending colon Pancreas Kidneys Suprarenal glands Aorta Ureters
What is mesogastria?
Mesentery that encloses the stomach and from which the greater omentum develops.
What is omentum?
Sheets of visceral peritoneum that extend from stomach and proximal part of the duodenum to other abdominal organs.
What is the difference between mesentery and omentum?
Mesentery connects viscera to abdominal wall.
Omentum connects organs to other organs.
What is the greater omentum?
4 layers of visceral peritoneum which descends from the greater curvature of the stomach and folds back up to attach to the anterior surface or the transverse colon.
It lies infront of the intestines.
What is the lesser omentum?
Double layer of visceral peritoneum which attaches from the lesser curvature of the stomach up to attach to the liver.
What is THE mesentery?
Mesentery of the small intestine.
