The Peritoneum

Question 1

What is meant by ‘retroperitoneal’?

Answer 1

some organs lie behind the peritoneum and are less prone to trauma and less variable

Question 2

What is meant by ‘intraperitoneal’?

Answer 2

organs which remain surrounded by the peritoneal cavity which can move and therefore this aids variable gut distension but leaves the organs prone to trauma

Question 3

What is a volvulus?

Answer 3

a loop of bowel twisted about a focal point along the mesentery which may result in a bowel obstruction and lead to mesenteric ischaemia

Question 4

Name the retroperitoneal organs

Answer 4

oesophagus, rectum, anus, kidneys, adrenals, ureter, pancreas, duodenum, ascending/descending colon

Question 5

Name the intraperitoneal organs

Answer 5

spleen, stomach, liver, gallbladder, jejunum and ileum, caecum and appendix and sigmoid colon

Question 6

What is the parietal peritoneum?

Answer 6

the peritoneum that lines the abdominal cavity and covers some of the organs on the posterior abdominal wall; it is continuous with the visceral peritoneum

Question 7

What is the visceral peritoneum?

Answer 7

a lining that covers the organs of the gut/abdomen

Question 8

Which organs are in the foregut?

Answer 8

stomach, first part of duodenum, liver, pancreas and spleen

Question 9

What is the blood supply to the foregut?

Answer 9

coeliac trunk

Question 10

What is the blood supply to the midgut?

Answer 10

superior mesenteric artery

Question 11

Which organs are in the midgut?

Answer 11

tail-end of duodenum, caecum, appendix and large intestine up to splenic flexure (transverse colon)

Question 12

Which organs are in the hindgut?

Answer 12

splenic flexure, descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectum and upper anal canal

Question 13

What is the blood supply to the hindgut?

Answer 13

inferior mesenteric artery

Question 14

Describe the development of the foregut

Answer 14

Dorsal and ventral mesogastrium hold gut tube in place in first stages of embryology, gut tube proliferates and organs such as stomach, liver and pancreas develop and the growth of these in a confined space causes the mesogastrium to bend with the liver going to the left hand side and the stomach and pancreas going to the right, with the pancreas against the posterior wall

Question 15

Describe the development of the midgut

Answer 15

forms a U-shaped intestinal loop which herniates into umbilical cord at approximately week 6, the midgut then rotates 90 degrees and then at week 10 when it comes back from the umbilical cord it rotates a further 180 degrees (total of 270 degree anticlockwise rotation) and the cranial limb goes on to form the small intestine whereas the caudal limb goes on to form the ascending limb of the large intestine

Question 16

What is mean by omphalocele?

Answer 16

congenital abnormality whereby the abdominal viscera herniate into the base of the umbilicus

Question 17

Where is the falciform ligament found and what is its purpose?

Answer 17

comes from the anterior abdominal wall to the liver and contains the ligament teres (remains of umbilical cord)

Question 18

Where is the lesser omentum found and what does it contain?

Answer 18

this comes from the inferior liver to the less curvature of the stomach, and structures in the free border of the lesser omentum include epiploic foramen, hepatic artery proper, hepatic portal vein and bile duct

Question 19

Where is the greater omentum found and what does it contain?

Answer 19

goes from the greater curvature of the stomach to the transverse

Question 20

Where is the transverse mesocolon located?

Answer 20

goes from the transverse colon to the posterior body wall

Question 21

Where is the mesentery found and what is its purpose?

Answer 21

this goes from the small intestine to the posterior body wall and anchors the small intestine whilst providing a pathway for blood supply (superior mesenteric)