Abdomen

The superior boundary of the Abdominal Cavity

Diaphragm

The inferior boundary of the Abdominal Cavity

Pelvic inlet

The anterior boundary of the Abdominal Cavity

Abdominal muscles

The posterior boundary of the Abdominal Cavity

Lumbar spine (L1-L5)

The lateral boundaries of the Abdominal Cavity

Abdominal muscles

The major organ systems of the abdomen

Digestive, urinary, lymphatic

Part of the digestive system and found in the abdomen

Stomach, intestines, liver + gallbladder, pancreas

Part of the urinary system and found in the abdomen

Kidneys, ureters

Part of the lymphatic system and found in the abdomen

Spleen

The abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity

Abdominal cavity extends from diaphragm to the pelvic brim; pelvic cavity extends from the pelvic brim to the pelvic floor.

The peritoneal cavity

The space between parietal and visceral peritoneum.

The peritoneum

The serous membrane of the peritoneal cavity; a membrane that lines the cavity and covers many abdominal organs.

What serous membrane lines the abdominal cavity and organs

Peritoneum

The parietal peritoneum do

Lines the inner surface of the abdominal body wall and pelvic wall.

The visceral peritoneum do

The shiny membrane that covers the abdominal and pelvic organs.

The visceral peritoneum form between abdominal organs

The “webs” of tissue between the abdominal organs, called mesenteries.

Parietal and visceral peritoneum called

Peritoneal cavity

The peritoneal cavity filled with

A small amount of serous fluid.

Parietal and visceral peritoneum

The parietal and visceral peritoneum are continuous with each other.

A mesentery

Expanses of peritoneum that connect organs to each other or to the body wall.

The linea alba

A white fibrous structure running along the midline of the abdomen from the xiphoid process to the pubic symphysis.

The linea alba divide

The rectus abdominis into its left and right sides.

Tendinous intersections

Bands of aponeurosis, sheet-like tendons, that divide the rectus abdominis into the discrete muscle bellies that make up the “6-pack abs”.

The rectus abdominis.

This long, strap-like muscle on either side of the linea alba.

The external oblique muscle.

This broad, lateral, superficial muscle with fibers running inferiorly and medially.

The attachments of the external oblique

Lower ribs and iliac crest.

The internal oblique fibers run

Perpendicular to the external oblique.

The transversus abdominis.

The deepest layer, with horizontally (transverse) oriented fibers.

A hiatus

A passageway formed by a separation in the muscular fibers.

A foramen

A hole or aperture through the diaphragm's tissue.

The esophageal hiatus

Esophagus and Vagus Nerves.

The aortic hiatus

Aorta, thoracic duct, and azygos vein.

The caval foramen

Inferior vena cava.

The greater omentum

A fatty, apron-like fold of peritoneum covering the intestines.

The greater omentum arise from

The greater curvature of the stomach.

Mesenteries

Thin translucent membrane; expanses of peritoneum that connect organs to each other or to the body wall.

The liver positioned

Large, multi-lobed organ occupying most of the right hypochondriac and epigastric regions.

The stomach positioned

J-shaped organ in the left hypochondriac and epigastric regions, partially obscured by the liver.

The spleen positioned

Elongated organ in the left hypochondriac region, lateral and posterior to the stomach.

The lower esophageal sphincter look and feel like

A ring-like muscle that feels like a thickening of the esophageal wall.

The regions of the stomach

Cardiac region (where esophagus enters), fundus (superior portion), body (main part), and pyloric regions.

The greater curvature of the stomach

Left, convex border.

The lesser curvature of the stomach

Right, concave border.

The greater omentum arise from

The greater curvature of the stomach.

The lesser omentum arise from

The lesser curvature of the stomach.

The pyloric sphincter

At the stomach’s junction with the duodenum.

The duodenum

First part of the small intestine, curves around the head of the pancreas in the right upper quadrant.

The jejunum

Middle section of small intestine; thicker walls and more numerous blood vessels, occupying the central abdominal region. The jejunum is the longest portion of the small intestine.

The ileum

Final part of the small intestine. It terminates at the ileocecal valve in the right lower quadrant.

The cecum

Pouch-like beginning of the large intestine in the right lower quadrant.

The parts of the colon in order

Ascending colon, right colic (hepatic) flexure, transverse colon, left colic (splenic) flexure, descending colon.

Taeniae coli

Longitudinal muscle bands.

Haustra

Small pouches of the large intestines.

The sigmoid colon and rectum located

In the center of the pelvic cavity.

The liver lobes

Right, left, quadrate, caudate.

The gallbladder

Small, sac-like organ on the anterior surface of the liver.

The pancreas

Elongated organ extending transversely across the posterior abdominal wall, behind the stomach.

The spleen part of the digestive tract

Not part of the digestive tract, but closely associated with the greater curvature of the stomach.

Path of food: the esophagus through the stomach

Esophagus → lower esophageal sphincter → stomach (cardiac region → fundus → body → pyloric region) → pyloric sphincter.

Path of food through the small intestine

Duodenum → jejunum → ileum → ileocecal valve.

Path of food through the large intestine

Cecum → ascending colon → right colic (hepatic) flexure → transverse colon → left colic (splenic) flexure → descending colon → sigmoid colon → rectum → internal anal sphincter → external anal sphincter.

Four abdominal quadrants

RUQ, LUQ, RLQ, LLQ.

Divide the abdomen into four quadrants

One vertical median plane and one horizontal transumbilical plane.

What organs are found in the right upper quadrant (RUQ)

Liver, gallbladder, duodenum, head of pancreas, right kidney, parts of ascending and transverse colon, and small intestine.

What organs are found in the left upper quadrant (LUQ)

Stomach, spleen, left lobe of liver, body and tail of pancreas, left kidney, parts of transverse and descending colon, and small intestine.

What organs are found in the right lower quadrant (RLQ)

Cecum, appendix, terminal ileum, parts of ascending colon, right ureter, and right ovary and uterine tube in females.

What organs are found in the left lower quadrant (LLQ)

Sigmoid colon, parts of descending colon, small intestine, left ureter, and left ovary and uterine tube in females.

Nine abdominal regions (top to bottom)

Right hypochondriac, epigastric, left hypochondriac; right lumbar (flank), umbilical, left lumbar (flank); right iliac (groin), hypogastric (pubic), left iliac (groin).

Are used in the nine-region pattern

Midclavicular planes, subcostal plane, intertubercular plane.

What organs are found in the right hypochondriac region

Right lobe of liver, gallbladder, right kidney, and parts of the small and large intestines.

What organs are found in the epigastric region

Part of the liver, stomach, pancreas, duodenum, and parts of the transverse colon.

What organs are found in the left hypochondriac region

Spleen, stomach, tail of pancreas, left kidney, and parts of the colon.

What organs are found in the right lumbar (flank) region

Ascending colon, right kidney, and parts of the small intestine.

What organs are found in the umbilical region

Parts of the small intestine, transverse colon, and duodenum.

What organs are found in the left lumbar (flank) region

Descending colon, left kidney, and parts of the small intestine.

What organs are found in the right iliac (groin) region

Cecum, appendix, terminal ileum, and parts of the ascending colon.

What organs are found in the hypogastric (pubic) region

Parts of the small intestine, sigmoid colon, and urinary bladder when full.

What organs are found in the left iliac (groin) region

Sigmoid colon, lower descending colon, and parts of the small intestine.

Of the digestive tract could the foreign bodies be trapped in the right lower quadrant

Terminal ileum, cecum, appendix, or ascending colon near the ileocecal region.

The general procedure for abdominal body wall dissection

See the muscles that comprise your “core” — the abdominal body wall muscles; open the Peritoneal cavity to identify the digestive organs and their surface features.

The three unpaired arteries branching from the aorta

Celiac Trunk/Artery, Superior Mesenteric Artery, Inferior Mesenteric artery.

The celiac trunk supply

Foregut.

The superior mesenteric artery supply

Midgut.

The inferior mesenteric artery supply

Hindgut.

The three major veins to locate

Portal Vein, Superior Mesenteric Vein, Inferior Mesenteric Vein.

Where do the veins that drain blood from the intestines carry nutrient-rich blood

To the Liver for filtration and processing.

Where do the arteries and nerves course to reach their target regions of the digestive tract

Within the mesenteries.

The celiac ganglion and plexus associated with

The Celiac Trunk/Artery.

The superior mesenteric ganglion and plexus associated with

The Superior Mesenteric Artery.

The inferior mesenteric ganglion and plexus associated with

The Inferior Mesenteric artery.

The portal vein also called in the scavenger list

Hepatic Portal Vein.

The listed branches of the celiac trunk

Splenic Artery, Left Gastric Artery, Common Hepatic Artery.

A listed branch of the splenic artery

Left Gastro-Omental.

The listed branches of the common hepatic artery

Right Gastric Artery, Gastroduodenal Artery, Superior Pancratico-Duodenal Artery, Right Gastro-Omental.

The listed branches of the superior mesenteric artery

Jejunal Arteries, Ileal Arteries, Middle Colic Artery, Marginal Artery, Right Colic Artery, Ileocolic Artery.

The listed branches of the inferior mesenteric artery

Left Colic Artery, Sigmoid Artery.

The listed veins

Hepatic Portal Vein, Splenic Vein, Inferior Mesenteric Vein, Superior Mesenteric Vein.

The listed ganglia

Celiac Ganglion, Superior Mesenteric Ganglion, Inferior Mesenteric Ganglion.