Peritoneal Cavity Spaces Flashcards

Explore the major peritoneal spaces, their anatomical boundaries, fluid drainage pathways, and clinical significance.

Card 1 of 30Question

What is the peritoneal cavity?

A potential space between the parietal and visceral peritoneum containing a small amount of lubricating serous fluid.

In This Section

1. What is the peritoneal cavity?

A potential space between the parietal and visceral peritoneum containing a small amount of lubricating serous fluid.

2. What are the two principal divisions of the peritoneal cavity?

The greater sac and lesser sac.

3. What is the greater sac of the peritoneal cavity?

The main compartment of the peritoneal cavity extending throughout most of the abdomen and into the pelvis.

4. What is the lesser sac?

A peritoneal recess located primarily posterior to the stomach and lesser omentum, also called the omental bursa.

5. Which opening connects the greater sac with the lesser sac?

The epiploic foramen, also called the omental foramen or foramen of Winslow.

6. What forms the anterior boundary of the epiploic foramen?

The hepatoduodenal ligament containing the portal triad.

7. What forms the posterior boundary of the epiploic foramen?

The inferior vena cava covered by peritoneum.

8. What forms the superior and inferior boundaries of the epiploic foramen?

The caudate lobe of the liver superiorly and the first part of the duodenum inferiorly.

9. Which structure divides the greater sac into supracolic and infracolic compartments?

The transverse mesocolon.

10. Which major organs occupy the supracolic compartment?

The liver, stomach, and spleen.

11. Which structures occupy much of the infracolic compartment?

The jejunum, ileum, and their mesentery.

12. What divides the infracolic compartment into right and left infracolic spaces?

The root of the mesentery proper.

13. What are the subphrenic spaces?

Peritoneal spaces situated between the diaphragm and the superior surface of the liver.

14. Which ligament separates the right and left anterior subphrenic spaces?

The falciform ligament of the liver.

15. What is the right subhepatic space?

A peritoneal space beneath the right lobe of the liver, including the hepatorenal recess.

16. What is the hepatorenal recess?

A peritoneal recess between the visceral surface of the right liver and the right kidney, also called Morison's pouch.

17. Why is the hepatorenal recess clinically important in a supine patient?

It is a dependent region of the upper peritoneal cavity where free fluid may accumulate.

18. What are the paracolic gutters?

Longitudinal peritoneal channels located lateral to the ascending and descending colon.

19. Which paracolic gutter provides a relatively direct communication between the pelvis and right subhepatic space?

The right paracolic gutter.

20. Which peritoneal fold limits superior fluid movement through the left paracolic gutter?

The phrenicocolic ligament.

21. What is the rectouterine pouch?

The peritoneal recess between the uterus and rectum in females, also called the pouch of Douglas.

22. What is the vesicouterine pouch?

The peritoneal recess between the urinary bladder and uterus.

23. What is the rectovesical pouch?

The peritoneal recess between the rectum and urinary bladder in males.

24. Which peritoneal recess is typically the most dependent in the female pelvis when standing?

The rectouterine pouch.

25. Which peritoneal recess is typically the most dependent in the male pelvis when standing?

The rectovesical pouch.

26. What are the main anterior and posterior boundaries of the lesser sac?

The stomach and lesser omentum anteriorly, and the peritoneum covering the pancreas and posterior abdominal wall posteriorly.

27. What is the superior recess of the lesser sac?

An upward extension of the omental bursa situated behind the caudate lobe of the liver.

28. What is the splenic recess of the lesser sac?

A leftward extension of the omental bursa toward the splenic hilum, between the gastrosplenic and splenorenal ligaments.

29. How can infection spread between different peritoneal spaces?

Infected fluid can move through communicating recesses and paracolic gutters under the influence of gravity, respiration, and body position.

30. Which peritoneal spaces are commonly assessed for free fluid during abdominal trauma ultrasound?

The hepatorenal recess, splenorenal region, and pelvic peritoneal recesses.