The Peritoneum

Question 1

What is the peritnoeum?

Answer 1

Continous membrane which lines the abdominal cavity and covers abominal organs

It is one continous layer but is described different depending on where it lies

Question 2

The peritoneum lining the body wall?

Answer 2

Partietal peritoneum

Question 3

The peritoneum lining the viscera?

Answer 3

Visceral peritoneum

Question 4

Which layer of the peritoneum is more sensitive to pressure, pain, heat & cold?

Answer 4

Partietal peritnoeum

Question 5

Define the term peritoneal cavity?

Answer 5

Space between the partietal and visceral peritoneum

Question 6

There are no organs within the peritoneal cavity. What is present within the peritoneal cavity?

Answer 6

Peritoneal effusion

Question 7

What is ascities?

Answer 7

Peritoneal effusion

Small amounts of fluid can collect in paracolic gutters

Question 8

What are organs surrounded by visceral peritneum called?

Answer 8

Intraperitoneal

Question 9

What are organs only covered on their anterior surface by visceral peritoneum called?

Answer 9

Retroperitoneal

Question 10

Answer 10

Question 11

Intra or retro peritoneal?

Answer 11

Question 12

What are the retroperitoneal organs?

Answer 12

Supradrenal gland

Aorta/IVC

Duodenum

Pancreas except tail

Ureter

Kidney

Bladder

Colon

Oesophagus

Rectum

Question 13

What is the pneumonic for retroperitoneal organs?

Answer 13

Supradrenal gland

Aorta/ IVC

Duodenum (second and third part)

Pancreas

Ureter

Colon (ascending and descending)

Kidneys

Eosophagus

Rectum

Question 14

What is the lesser sac?

Answer 14

Space sequestered behind the stomach

Question 15

What do the lesser and greater sac communicate through?

Answer 15

The epiploic foramen

Question 16

What are the lesser and greater sacs and where do they lie?

Answer 16

Lesser sac- The lesser sac lies posterior to the stomach and lesser omentum

Greater- The greater sac is the larger portion of the peritoneal cavity

Question 17

Through which passage do the 2 sacs communicate?

Answer 17

Epiploic foramen

Question 18

Describe the boundaries of the epiploic foramen

Answer 18

Superior to the duodenum

Inferior to the posterior liver

Superior and posterior to the stomach

Posterior to the hepatoduodenal ligament

Question 19

What is the greater ommentum attached from and to?

Answer 19

Attaches from the greater curvature of the stomach to the transverse colon

Question 20

What is the lesser omentum attached from and to?

Answer 20

Attaches from the duodenum to the liver

Question 21

Answer 21

Question 22

What is the greater omeuntum?

Answer 22

Abdominal policeman

Lower margin and the left and right margins are free, and it moves about the abdominal cavity in response to peristaltic movements. In infection, especially appendicitis, inflammatory exudate causes the omentum to adhere to the site of infection, and wrap itself around the infected organ.

This localises the infection to a small area of the cavity, protecting against serious diffuse peritonitis.

Question 23

What is the difference between the omenta and mesentery attachments?

Answer 23

Mesenteries attach organ to wall, organ to other structure is an omenta

Question 24

Answer 24

Question 25

What is peritoneal pain?

Answer 25

Pain from the parietal peritoneum lining the abdominal wall is innervated by the lower 6 thoracic nerves and L1, thus pain here is somatic and can be precisely localized. It is extremely sensitive to stretching, made use of in clinical diagnosis – rebound tenderness.

Question 26

What is the visceral peritoneum innervated by?

Answer 26

Autonomic nerves. Pain is often referred, and is dull and poorly localised. Because the GI tract is a midline structure receiving bilateral nerve supply, pain is referred to the midline.

Question 27

What do retroperitoneal organs tend to cause?

Answer 27

Back pain

Question 28

What are the hepatoduodenal and hepatogastric ligaments a part of?

Answer 28

The lesser omentum

Question 29

What is the falciform ligament and what structures lie within its free border?

Answer 29

It is the thin, sickle-shaped, fibrous structure which connects the anterior part of the liver to the ventral wall of the abdomen. In its free border lies the ligamentum teres, a cordlike structure, which is a remanent of the umbilical vein.

Question 30

What structure in the free edge of the falciform ligament is a remnant of an embryonic blood vessel?

Answer 30

Round ligament

Question 31

What is the name of this vessel in the embryo?

Answer 31

Gubernaculum

Question 32

List 3 abdominal viscera which lie in the free edge of a double layer of peritoneum described as the **mesentery.**

Answer 32

Small intestine Transverse mesocolon Sigmoid mesocolon