Abdominal Cavity

Landmarks

• Peritoneum: double layered serous membrane• visceral = outer serous layer of abdominal

organs• parietal = lines outer wall of cavity, both layers

also fold to form mesenteries, ligaments• peritoneal cavity: space between layers, sealed

in males; female - perforated by uterine tubes• intraperitoneal actually does not mean within

cavity - still surrounded by visceral layer

Greater Omentum

• large peritoneal fold (apron) - usually has lots of fat, free inferior edge - suspended from greater curvature of stomach & transverse colon, 4 layers

lesser omentum

• From inferior surface of liver to lesser curvature of stomach & upper duodenal intestine- holds hepatic artery, portal vein, common bile duct in its right margin

• omental bursa = lesser peritoneal sac (vs greater sac holding all the viscera) - epiploic (omental) foramen - only connection with greater peritoneal sac - between inferior vana cava & right edge of lesser omentum (where it holds hepatic artery, portal vein, and common bile duct)

Mesentery

• Mesentery: fold suspending intestines (jejunum, ileum), attaches to posterior wall

• Transverse mesocolon: ligament connecting transverse colon to posterior wall

Ligaments

• Other, smaller ligaments: all peritoneal folds– gastrophrenic - diaphragm to stomach– gastrosplenic (gastrolienal) - to spleen– gastrocolic - to transverse colon– splenorenal (lienorenal) - to wall just in front of

kidney– phrenicocolic ligament - connects its upper

edge to lower left diaphragm

Liver

• Fills right hypochondriac region, extends into epigastric & left hypochondriac

• lobes, fossae– Left - gastric impression– Right - fossa for inferior vana cava - find openings

from hepatic veins– bare area - directly contacts diaphragm (between

layers of coronary ligament) – renal; duodenal; colic impressions– caudate - between inferior vana cava fossa & lesser

omentum– quadrate - actually a portion of left lobe

Gall bladder

• gall bladder (body, neck) - posterior, inferior surface of right lobe of liver

• cystic duct exits, joins common (=R+L) hepatic duct to form common bile duct

• spiral valve - inside neck & into cystic duct

Other structures• Porta hepatis: hilum of liver - entry of hepatic artery,

portal vein; exit of hepatic ducts • Falciform ligament - fold connecting visceral peritoneum

of liver with parietal peritoneum of anterior abdominal wall 

• Ligamentum teres hepatis / round ligament of the liver– remnant of fetal umbilical vein– found in free (inferior) margin of falciform ligament - from liver

inferior to umbilicus• coronary ligament: fold connecting visceral peritoneum

of liver with underside of diaphragm- R triangular ligament - its right upper margin forms a sharp angle- L triangular ligament - corner on upper surface of left lobe

Blood vessels

• hepatic a: (a branch of the celiac artery) – R, L branches to R, L lobes– cystic artery (branch of R hepatic) - follows cystic duct

• portal vein: (trio with hapatic artery, common bile duct) - drains portal system into liver; divides into right and left branches

• Hepatic veins: several true veins - drain liver into inferior vana cava (not included with trio in canal)