The peritoneum and peritoneal cavity

Question 1

What is the embryonic origin of the parietal peritoneum?

Answer 1

Somatic mesoderm

Question 2

Is pain from the parietal peritoneum well localised?

Answer 2

Yes - same somatic nerve supply as the region of abdo wall it lines

Question 3

What is the visceral peritoneum derived from?

Answer 3

Splanchic mesoderm

Question 4

Is pain from the visceral peritoneum well localised?

Answer 4

No - same nerve supply as the viscera –> referred

Question 5

What is the peritoneal cavity?

What does it contain?

Answer 5

The potential space between the parietal and visceral layers of peritoneum.
Contains a small amount of lubricating fluid

Question 6

What is ascites?

Answer 6

Excessive accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity

Question 7

How is the peritoneal cavity divided?

Answer 7

Into the greater and lesser sacs

Question 8

The greater sac is divided into 2 smaller compartments.

What are these compartments, and what is it that divides the sac?

Answer 8

Supracolic and infracolic compartments

Divided by the transverse mesocolon

Question 9

What lies in the supracolic compartment of the greater sac?

Answer 9

Stomach, liver and spleen

Question 10

What lies in the infracolic compartment of the greater sac?

Answer 10

Small intestine, ascending and descending colon

Question 11

Where are the parocolic gutters located?

Answer 11

Between the posterolateral abdominal wall and the ascending colon on the right, and descending colon on the left

Question 12

Where is the lesser sac located?

Answer 12

Posterior to the stomach, liver and lesser omentum

Question 13

Is there any communication between the greater and lesser sacs?

Answer 13

Yes, via the epiploic foramen, an opening in the lesser omentum

Question 14

What are the subphrenic spaces?

Answer 14

Recesses in the peritoneal cavity between the anterior liver and the diaphragm

Question 15

In which gender is the peritoneal cavity totally enclosed? Explain

Answer 15

Males

In females, the infundibulum of the Fallopian tubes opens out into the peritoneal cavity

Question 16

What is the rectovesical pouch?

Answer 16

A double layer of peritoneum between the rectum and bladder found in males only

Question 17

What is the pouch of Douglas?

Answer 17

A double layer of peritoneum found between the rectum and uterus

Question 18

What is the vesicouterine pouch?

Answer 18

Double layer of peritoneum between the uterus and bladder

Question 19

What is mesentery?

Answer 19

A double layer of visceral peritoneum

Question 20

What is the greater omentum and where is it located?

Answer 20

Specialised mesentery extending from the greater curvature of the stomach and proximal duodenum to the anterior surface of the transverse colon

Question 21

What is the lesser omentum and where is it located?

Answer 21

Specialised mesentery extending from the lesser curvature of the stomach and proximal duodenum to the liver

Question 22

What 2 peritoneal ligaments make up the lesser omentum?

Answer 22

Hepatoduodenal and hepatogastric ligaments

Obvious if you know where the lesser omentum extends from and to

Question 23

What is peritoneum comprised of?

Answer 23

Mesothelium - non-keratonised simple squamous epithelia