Human Anatomy Part 1 - K. A. Dyubenko, A. K. Kolomiytsev, Yu. B. Chaykovsky 2002

Special Part
Splanchnology, splanchnologia [the study of viscera] — Digestive system, systema digestorium
Abdominal cavity

The abdominal cavity, cavitas abdominis, is the container for the Internal Organs, bounded: superiorly by the Diaphragm; inferiorly by an imaginary plane passing through the pelvic inlet, linea terminalis; anteriorly by the rectus abdominis Muscles and the broad aponeuroses of the external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse Abdominal muscles; laterally by the Lateral group of abdominal muscles; posteriorly by the lumbar Vertebral Column, quadratus lumborum muscles, and iliopsoas muscles.

The abdominal cavity houses the Organs of the Digestive System, Major Digestive Glands, Urinary Organs, and Spleen. The internal surface of the abdominal cavity is lined by the endoabdominal fascia, fascia endoabdominalis, and the parietal layer of the Peritoneum, peritoneum parietale. The endoabdominal fascia is subdivided into the transversalis fascia, fascia transversalis, which covers the transversus abdominis Muscle and then extends down onto the pelvic walls as the iliac fascia, fascia iliaca, covering the iliacus muscle, m. iliacus, and the lumbar muscles, m. psoas major et m. iliacus.

Between the endoabdominal fascia, fascia endoabdominalis, and the parietal peritoneum lies a layer of adipose tissue, which is highly developed in certain areas. For instance, on the posterior wall of the abdominal cavity, the space between the parietal peritoneum and the endoabdominal fascia, fascia endoabdominalis, is filled with adipose tissue and organs. It is termed the retroperitoneal space, spatium retroperitoneale. In addition to the retroperitoneal space, the peritoneal cavity, cavum peritonei, is distinguished within the abdomen (see "Peritoneum").

The external BOUNDARIES OF THE anterolateral abdominal wall are considered to be: superiorly, the costal arches; inferiorly, the iliac crests, inguinal folds, iliac tubercles, and the upper margin of the Pubic Symphysis.

In clinical practice, to determine the Location of organs and their projection onto the anterior abdominal wall (holotopy), the latter is divided into regions, regiones abdominales, by drawing two imaginary horizontal lines across the anterior abdominal wall. The upper horizontal line connects the tips of the 10th Ribs; the lower line connects the anterior superior iliac spines. These horizontal lines divide the abdomen into three zones: the epigastrium, epigastrium; the mesogastrium, mesogastrium; and the hypogastrium, hypogastrium. Additionally, two vertical lines are drawn from the pubic tubercles along the lateral margins of the rectus abdominis muscles up to the costal arches. As a result, each of the three zones is further subdivided into three areas. Thus, nine Abdominal Regions, regiones abdominales, are formed on the anterior abdominal wall (Fig. 224):

- epigastric region, regio epigastrica propria;

- hypochondriac regions, right and left, regio hypochondrica dextra et sinistra (hypochondrium);

- umbilical region, regio umbilicalis;

- lateral regions, right and left, regio lateralis dextra et sinistra;

- pubic region, regio pubica;

- inguinal regions, right and left, regio inguinalis dextra et sinistra.

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Fig. 224. Regions of the anterior surface of the trunk