6.

3
PERITONEUM & ABDOMINAL
VISCERA
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Explain the function and importance of the

peritoneum

Define peritonitis

Give an example of each of the following

peritoneal reflections:
- Retroperitoneal
- Peritoneal ligament
- Inferior mesenteric
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Label the following structures on a diagram:

- Greater omentum
- Lesser sac
- Greater sac
- Supracolic compartment
- Infracolic compartment

List the organs of the gastro-intestinal tract

and give their functions
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Explain the function and importance of the

enteric nervous system

Compare and contrast the effect of

Parasympathetic NS + Sympathetic NS
on the gastrointestinal system
 Re-call
• Membranes around lung?
– Pleural membrane – parietal, visceral pleura

• Membranes around heart?

– Pericardial – parietal, visceral pericardium
 Peritoneum

Thin, transparent serous membrane consists of

• parietal peritoneum: lines abdominal wall

• visceral peritoneum: covers viscera

 PERITONEUM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gray1035.png
 SUBDIVISIONS OF PERITONEAL CAVITY
• Lesser sac (omental
bursa)

• Greater sac

•Omental foramen is
opening between 2
sacs (near gall
bladder)
 PERITONEUM

Peritoneal Cavity

• peritoneal fluid (lubrication)

• enclosed in males, continuous with exterior via
uterine tubes (infection pathway)
 RETROPERITONEAL
• all or part of organ lies behind the peritoneum (e.g.
kidneys, part of liver, ascending colon)
 PERITONEAL LIGAMENT
 double layer connects an organ with abdominal wall
(e.g. falciform ligament of liver)
 OMENTUM
 double layered fold passing from stomach to adjacent
organ (lesser & greater omentum).
 Lesser omentum from lesser curvature of stomach and
proximal part of duodenum to liver
 MESENTERY
• double layer which encloses an organ and connects it to
abdominal wall; vessels lie in mesentery (e.g. small intestine,
stomach, transverse colon)
 SUMMARY
Peritoneum lines the abdominal cavity and pelvic
cavity
– covers abdominal organs (more detail later)
– permits movement of gut, conveys nerves and
arteries from body wall and contains lymphatics to
fight infection

Three main structures associated with peritoneum:

1. Peritoneal ligament – attach organs to body wall
2. Mesentary – convey vessels to organ
3. Omentum – fat storage, immune tissue
 SUMMARY
Divided into:
Lesser sac/omental bursa (behind stomach and liver)

Greater sac
Supracolic compartment (above transverse colon)
Infracolic compartment (below transverse colon

Organs within peritoneum are supplied by

Sympathetic (fight or flight) and Parasympathetic
(rest and digest) nervous systems
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Label the following structures on a diagram:

- Greater omentum
- Lesser sac
- Greater sac
- Supracolic compartment
- Infracolic compartment

List the organs of the gastro-intestinal tract

and give their functions
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Explain the function and importance of the

enteric nervous system

Compare and contrast the effect of

Parasympathetic NS + Sympathetic NS
on the gastrointestinal system