Atlas of Human Anatomy by Netter

Is the continuity of visceral and parietal peritoneum

Provides a pathway for neurovascular communication between organ and body wall

Contains lymph nodes and variable amounts of fat

The mesentery is the mesentery of the small intestine

The mesocolon is the mesentery of the large intestine

Transverse mesocolon

Sigmoid mesocolon

Peritoneal ligaments
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Ligament = double layer of peritoneum connecting an organ to another organ or to the abdominal wall

Ligaments of the liver:

Falciform ligament: from liver to anterior abdominal wall

Gastrohepatic ligament

From lesser curvature of stomach to liver

= a portion of lesser omentum

Hepatoduodenal ligament

From the liver to the first part of the duodenum

= Right, thickened free edge of lesser omentum

Contains portal triad (portal vein, hepatic artery, bile duct)

Ligaments of the stomach

Gastrophrenic ligament: from stomach to inferior diaphragmatic surface

Gastrosplenic ligament: from stomach to hilum of spleen

Gastrocolic ligament: from stomach as the greater omentum to the transverse colon

Ligaments of the spleen

Gastrosplenic: from stomach to hilum of spleen

Splenorenal (lienorenal): from spleen to the left kidney

Phrenicocolic ligament (sustentaculum lienis)

From the left hepatic flexure of transverse colon to diaphragm

Supports the spleen

Peritoneal subdivisions

Greater sac: main peritoneal cavity

Lesser sac (omental bursa)

Posterior to the stomach

Visible through the lesser omentum

Superior recess: limited by the diaphragm and posterior layers of the coronary ligament of the liver (Section 4-4: Abdomen-Viscera

(Gut))

Inferior recess: potential space between layers of the greater omentum

Communicates with the greater sac via the epiploic foramen (of Winslow)

Boundaries of the epiploic foramen

Boundary Structures

Anterior Hepatoduodenal ligament containing portal triad

Posterior Inferior vena cava (IVC) and right crus of diaphragm which is covered by the parietal peritoneum

Superior Caudate lobe of liver which is covered by the visceral peritoneum

Inferior First part of duodenum, portal vein, hepatic artery, bile duct

Supracolic compartment

Greater sac above the transverse mesocolon

Contains stomach, liver, and spleen

Infracolic compartment

Greater sac below transverse mesocolon,

Contains small bowel, ascending and descending colon.

Divided into left and right divisions by the mesentery of the small intestine

Free communication between the supracolic and infracolic compartments via the paracolic gutter

Grooves or recesses between the ascending and descending colon and the posterior abdominal wall along their lateral

borders