CH AP ER 18

Abdominal Cavity and

Peritoneum

correspond
to the
lateral planes
cavity is the largest cavity. It encloses the The right and left lines. Each
of these
mammary
midinguinal point
dominal

or
vity between its parietal and visceral
peritoneal c a v i t
midclavicular

through the
vertical planes passes costal cartilage.
p Parietal layer clings to the wall of parieties the tip of the ninth
and this way a r e
visceral layer is intimately adherent to viscera
layers. c r o s s e s

marked out in
hile
The nine regions and
rmed. So their vascular supply and nerve supply median, right
three vertical z o n e s ,
arranged in are
concern

parieties and Viscera respectively. median regions

Same as the downwards,
the
re
left. From above The right and
very lengthy organs in the peritoneal umbilical and
hypogastric.
There are epigastric, hypochondriac,
had to be disciplined with limited the s a m e order,
are
avit. These left regions, in
cavity.
of the gut in
movements for proper functioning lumbar and iliac. 19.2.
in general. Infections is shown in Fig.
articular and the body Position of many organs
hypochondrium.
peritoneum impart protective the right
involving the parietalto the abdominal wall. Referred Liverchiefly occupies the left hypochondrium.
hoard-like rigidity" a r e a is due to
Stomach and spleen occupy abdominal
the viscera to a distant lies inrelation to posterior
pain from n e r v e s reaching the
same
Duodenum
and ileum fill up
Coils of jejunum
somatic and sympathetic wall (Fig. 20.2).
lumbar and iliac regions.
spinal segment.
which the umbilical, of abdominal
is a n extensive space lies at the periphery
The abdominal cavity into Large intestine
o n right side,
to the costal margin, ascending colon
extends upwards, deep cavity, caecum, colon
the diaphragm;
and projects o n left side
and t r a n s v e r s e
the concavity of as
descending colon
backwards into the bony pelvis across the cavity.
downwards and of the
c o n s i d e r a b l e part
Thus a
the pelvic cavity. the thoracic cage
abdominal cavity is overlapped by PERITONEUM
below. lining
and the bony pelvis membrane
above, The peritoneum is a large
serous

it is composed
the abdominal cavity. Histologically,
NINE REGIONS OF ABDOMEN
-Left lateral plane
the location of viscera,
Right lateral plane
the purpose of describing
For into nine regions by
four
Left
abdomen is divided
ne horizontal and
two vertical.
Right
hypochondrium
ginary planes, two a r e the transpyloric and hypochondrium Epigastrium
horizontal planes a r e the
e vertical planes Transpyloric
nstubercular planes. The Right lumbar plane
ght lateral and the left lateral
planes (Fig. 18.1). region Left lumbar
Addison passes
midway Umbilical- region
transpyloric plane of pubic
ne notch and
the region Transtubercular
the suprasternal below
plane
en a hand's
breadth
Rightfossa
iliac
It lies roughly through Left iliac fossa
pnysis Anteriorly, it passes
iphisternal joint. and posteriorly Hypogastrium
costal cartilage;
p s of the ninth Lil n e a r its lower b o r d e r .

g h the body of vertebra

through the
passes
e t r a n s t u b e r c u l a r plane of v e r t e b r a
andthe body
bercles of the iliac crest Fig. 18.1: Regions of the abdomen.
LS near its pper border. 241